John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. And Saul and all the people spared Agag , etc.] Perhaps Saul made the motion to spare him, and the people agreed to it; it may be, out of respect to him as a king; or because of the comeliness of his person, the height of his stature, and the largeness of his body, as Josephus notes; or to carry him in triumph in a public show, (see 1 Samuel 15:12) and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings ; or “of the second sort”, as in the margin, the second best; or rather which shed their two long teeth, as sheep at two years old did when reckoned at their full strength, and fittest for sacrifice f303 : and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them ; as they were commanded, but kept them for their own private use and advantage, and this not only the best and fattest of the flocks and herds, but of their household goods: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly : such of the cattle that were poor and lean, lame or blind, or had any defect in them, and household goods that were mere rubbish and lumber; such they entirely destroyed, killed the creatures, and burnt the goods; in doing which they thought they fulfilled the will of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - The sentence of condemnation against the Amalekites had gone forth lon before, Ex 17:14; De 25:19, but they had been spared till they fille up the measure of their sins. We are sure that the righteous Lord doe no injustice to any. The remembering the kindness of the ancestors of the Kenites, in favour to them, at the time God was punishing the injuries done by the ancestors of the Amalekites, tended to clear the righteousness of God in this dispensation. It is dangerous to be foun in the company of God's enemies, and it is our duty and interest to come out from among them, lest we share in their sins and plagues, R 18:4. As the commandment had been express, and a test of Saul' obedience, his conduct evidently was the effect of a proud, rebelliou spirit. He destroyed only the refuse, that was good for little. Tha which was now destroyed was sacrificed to the justice of God.
Original Hebrew ויחמל2550 שׁאול7586 והעם5971 על5921 אגג90 ועל5921 מיטב4315 הצאן6629 והבקר1241 והמשׁנים4932 ועל5921 הכרים3733 ועל5921 כל3605 הטוב2896 ולא3808 אבו14 החרימם2763 וכל3605 המלאכה4399 נמבזה959 ונמס4549 אתה853 החרימו׃2763
