Read 1 Samuel 15 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
15:1 {s} Samuel charged Saul: As you are king, heed the words of YHVH
15:2-3 {s} Attack Amalek and utterly destroy it
15:4-9 {p} Saul attacked Amalek, but did not destroy the king or the best of the flocks
15:10-15 {p} Samuel went to Saul, who insisted he carried out YHVH’s commandment
15:16 {s} Samuel: Hush, and listen to the words of YHVH
15:17-19 {s} When you were humble, YHVH made you king; why then did you not obey Him
15:20-21 {s} Saul: But I have obeyed Him, it is the people who kept the flocks to sacrifice
15:22-23 {s} To obey is better than sacrifice; as you have rejected YHVH’s commandment, He has rejected you as king
15:24-26 {s} Saul: I have sinned, but go with me before the people, but Samuel would not
15:27 {s} Saul grabbed his robe so that it tore [to prevent him from leaving implied]
15:28 {s} Samuel: YHVH has torn the kingdom from you, and given it to your neighbor
15:29-31 {s} Saul entreated, and Samuel relented and went with him
15:32 {s} Samuel called for the king of the Amalekites, who thought he would be spared
15:33 {s} Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before YHVH at Gilgal
15:34-35 {p} Samuel returned to Ramah, and never saw Saul again
The Strong themes:
15:1-9 {s+s+p} Saul charged to obey YHVH in the matter of Amalek, but he did not
15:16-35 {sx10+p} YHVH rejected Saul as king, and Samuel carried out the sentence against Agag
1 Samuel 15:1-35 Chiastic Structure:
Today we Learn from the Narrative, that 90% obedience to God is the same as disobedience.
About witchcraft: Often, witchcraft involves the practice of magic, which can be understood as the manipulation of natural or supernatural forces to achieve specific outcomes. It seeks to exert control, to elevate the witch’s will over the will of other humans or the processes of the natural world, and in the case of supernatural forces, God. It is acting against God’s own sovereignty. Therefore, rebellion against God’s sovereignty is as the sin of witchcraft.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
Deuteronomy 17:14-20, The authority of the king – Christine Miller
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