80 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples
command. The valley or ravine mentioned likely refers to the Wadi el-
Arish which formed the southwestern border between ancient Israel and
Egypt.
15:6. Although Saul had been warned not to spare any of the Amalekites
(15:3), he rightfully spared the Kenites, a semi-nomadic tribe who were
living among the Amalekites. The Kenites, a group within or related to
the Midianites, had a connection to the people of Israel because Moses
had married into a Kenite family (Judges 1:16; cf. Exodus 2:15–21). Of
even greater significance, the Kenites—in contrast to the Amalekites—
had shown kindness to the Israelites as they were coming up out of Egypt.
The Hebrew term for “kindness” in this verse is chesed which denotes cov-
enant loyalty. Because of their strong support of the wandering Israelites,
Saul and his army returned kindness to the Kenites, allowing them to
leave the area before the Israelite army launched their attack.
15 :7. Saul then attacked all the Amalekites living in the region. The
expression, “from Havilah to Shur,” refers to the territory east of Egypt
and south of Judah (cf. Genesis 25:18).
15:8 –9. Saul did not hesitate to destroy the people of Amalek as directed
by Samuel. Saul and his army, however, did find it difficult to destroy
everything. They decided to spare Agag, the king, as well as the best
of the livestock and anything else of value. In doing so, they revealed
an entirely different motivation for their actions. God meant to punish
the Amalekites for their lack of compassion; Saul and his army meant
to plunder them for personal gain. Rather than a battle in which every-
thing was devoted to God as an offering, Saul had turned their mission
into a common act of war, motivated by pride and greed.
Saul’s actions were in direct disobedience to God’s command. The
captured king became a trophy for Saul, and the best of the livestock and
valuables became the spoils of war for his soldiers. They only devoted to
God what they did not value: the lives of the common Amalekites, the
weak and sick livestock, and any other worthless items.
15:10 –11. The phrase, “the word of the Lord came to,” occurs eighty-
three times in the Old Testament and indicates a divine revelation. God
was grieved that he had made Saul king because of his disobedience (cf.