Dr Paul Allen

Saul’s destruction of the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15 is a tough passage of Scripture. God commands Saul to destroy an entire city—women and children included—and rebukes Saul for showing mercy to some residents. Many have called this a “text of terror” that condones a massacre and depicts a genocidal God. While I have no desire to dodge this being a difficult passage, I do want to offer five observations that give a more nuanced understanding of what’s happening. 1. History of the Amalekites The Amalekites were not your friendly next-door neighbours. They’re depicted throughout the Bible as muggers preying on the vulnerable. In Exodus 17, they attack Israel—a defenceless nation of homeless, wandering slaves who’ve just left Egypt. In Numbers 14, they attack Israel in the wilderness again. In Deuteronomy 25:17–18, Israel is told, “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked a...

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and Worthless, that they utterly destroyed (1 Sam. 15:9). We come now to one of the pivotal chapters of 1 Samuel . Here, Saul’s true nature is decisively revealed, which leads to his rejection as king and sets the stage for the rise of God ’s choice for the throne. It begins when Samuel comes to Saul for the first time since Saul offered his unlawful sacrifice and Samuel pronounced God’s judgment upon him (13:9–15). Naturally, he comes with a message for Saul from God. Lest Saul in anger reject him before he can speak his message, Samuel begins by reminding Saul that he was the one who anointed Saul as king. He is pointing out that he is God’s instrument, and Saul therefore should listen well to his words. The message is straightforward—God desires to punish the Amalekites for ambushing t...