1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

56 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 EditionAmalekites plus their animals completely (v. 3; cf. Deut. 7:2-6; 12:2-3; 20:16-18). Godhad commanded Joshua to do the same to Jericho; every breathing thing was to die (Josh.6:17-21; cf. Deut. 20:16-18). Saul was now to put the Amalekites under the ban (Heb.herem). 163 God had plainly commanded this destruction of the Amalekites through Moses(Exod. 17:16; Deut. 25:17-19; cf. Num. 24:20; Gen. 12:3). Thus there was no questionwhat the will of God involved. The phrase "utterly destroy" (Heb. heherim) occurs seventimes in this account (vv. 3, 8, 9 [twice], 15, 18, 20) showing that God's will was clearand that Saul's disobedience was not an oversight."The agent of divine judgment can be impersonal (e.g., the Flood or thedestruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) or personal (as here), and in hissovereign purpose God often permits entire families or nations to bedestroyed if their corporate representatives are willfully and incorrigiblywicked (cf. Josh 7:1, 10-13, 24-26)." 164The Amalekites (v. 6) were descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:12) whereas the Kenites tracedtheir ancestry from Midian, one of Abraham's sons by Keturah (Gen. 25:2). The Keniteshad been friendly to Israel (Exod. 18:9, 10, 19; Num. 10:29-32) whereas the Amalekiteshad not. There may have been a treaty between the Israelites and the Kenites. 165Saul's criterion for what he put to death was not part of God's command but his ownjudgment (v. 9). Again, Saul's defective view of his role under Yahweh's sovereign rule isobvious. God had earlier revealed through Balaam that Israel's king "shall be higher thanAgag" (Num. 24:7). As Achan had done, Saul misused some of what God had devoted toanother purpose. Clearly Saul set his will against the orders of his Commander; he was"not willing" to destroy everything that breathed (v. 9). His obedience was selective andpartial.The phrase "the word of the Lord came to" occurs only three times in 1 and 2 Samuel (v.10; cf. 2 Sam. 7:4; 24:11). In all cases it refers to an important message of judgment thatGod sent Israel's king through a prophet. God regretted that He had made Saul king (v.11) because of Saul's actions, not because God felt He had made a mistake in callingSaul. Saul's failure to follow God faithfully also broke Samuel's heart. The disobedienceof leaders always grieves the hearts of God's faithful servants. Samuel foresaw theconsequences of Saul's actions. The village of Carmel (lit. vineyard) stood about 8 milessouth and a little east of Hebron. The monument Saul set up honored himself, not Godwho gave him the victory. When Moses defeated the Amalekites, he built an altar (Exod.17:15-16); but when Saul defeated them, he erected a stele (cf. 2 Sam. 18:18).163 This practice was not unique to Israel; the Moabites and presumably other ancient Near Eastern nationsalso put cities and groups of people under the ban. See Gordon, pp. 143, 147-48.164 Youngblood, p. 673. On the problem of God's goodness and His severe treatment of sinners, and eventheir animals, in the Old Testament, see Peter C. Craigie, The Problem of War in the Old Testament; andJohn W. Wenham, The Enigma of Evil: Can We Believe in the Goodness of God?165 F. Charles Fensham, "Did a Treaty Between the Israelites and the Kenites Exist?" Bulletin of theAmerican Schools of Oriental Research 175 (October 1964):51-54.