The Meaning of 1 Samuel 15:8 Explained

1 Samuel 15:8

KJV: And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

YLT: and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword;

Darby: And he took Agag the king of Amalek alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

ASV: And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he took  Agag  the king  of the Amalekites  alive,  and utterly destroyed  all the people  with the edge  of the sword. 

What does 1 Samuel 15:8 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 15:1-16 - Leading The People In Disobedience
Several years intervened between the preceding chapter and this. The kingdom had become strong and prosperous. It seemed as though Samuel's sentence of deposition had been forgotten. But even in hot summer weather, the taint of autumn decay may be in the air. The speck of corruption was slowly eating into Saul's heart, and at last, when this charge came concerning Amalek, the evil was revealed to all. Amalek was under a curse, and the existence of the tribe was a standing menace to the peace and prosperity of the surrounding nations; hence the edict for its destruction, Exodus 17:16. Even in this world God judges the nations, and condemns such as have ceased to fulfill His purpose. In spite of God's distinct command, Saul connived at the reservation of the choicest and best of the spoils, and this brought about his rejection. It is noticeable, also, that an Amalekite claimed to have dispatched Him on the field of Gilboa, 2 Samuel 1:1-10. If we spare what God has commanded us to destroy, it may later destroy us. Take care in your obedience; you serve an exacting though loving God! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 15

1  Samuel sends Saul to destroy Amalek
6  Saul favors the Kenites
7  He spares Agag and the best of the spoil
10  Samuel denounces unto Saul God's rejection of him for his disobedience
24  Saul's humiliation
32  Samuel kills Agag
34  Samuel and Saul part

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 15:8 mean?

And He took - Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and all the people utterly destroyed with the edge of sword
וַיִּתְפֹּ֛שׂ אֶת־ אֲגַ֥ג מֶֽלֶךְ־ עֲמָלֵ֖ק חָ֑י וְאֶת־ כָּל־ הָעָ֖ם הֶחֱרִ֥ים לְפִי־ חָֽרֶב

וַיִּתְפֹּ֛שׂ  And  He  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּפַשׂ  
Sense: to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲגַ֥ג  Agag 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲגַג  
Sense: king of Amalek, spared by Saul but slain by Samuel.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עֲמָלֵ֖ק  of  the  Amalekites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲמָלֵק  
Sense: son of Eliphaz by his concubine Timnah, grandson of Esau, and progenitor of a race of people in southern Canaan.
חָ֑י  alive 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הֶחֱרִ֥ים  utterly  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
לְפִי־  with  the  edge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חָֽרֶב  of  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.