Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The First Book of Kingdoms, Chapter 15ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΝ Α′ ΙΕ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

Saul's partial obedience in the Amalek war brings Samuel's judgment and the Lord's rejection of his kingship.

Translation & textual notes

The Greek text of 1 Kingdoms 15 (= 1 Samuel 15) follows the standard critical text of the Septuagint as established in the Rahlfs–Hanhart edition (Septuaginta, rev. ed. 2006), an ancient and public-domain text; the critical apparatus is not reproduced. The chapter is one of the great theological turning-points of the Former Prophets: Samuel transmits the command of κύριος σαβαωθ ('the LORD of hosts') to carry out the ḥērem (ἀναθεματιεῖς, v. 3) against Amalek for its ancient ambush of Israel at the Exodus (cf. Exod 17:8–16; Deut 25:17–19). Saul wins the war but spares Agag and 'the best of the flocks' (τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῶν ποιμνίων, v. 9), preserving exactly what was devoted to destruction. The divine word to Samuel — παρακέκλημαι ('I have changed my mind / am moved to regret', v. 11) — uses the perfect of παρακαλέω in the rare LXX sense of divine relenting, matched at the chapter's close by κύριος μετεμελήθη (v. 35). Between these two poles stands v. 29's apparently contradictory denial — οὐκ … μετανοήσει ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν τοῦ μετανοῆσαι αὐτός ('he will not relent, for he is not as a man, that he should relent') — a deliberate theological tension between God's anthropopathic grief and his unchanging purpose, here aimed at the irreversibility of Saul's rejection. The structural and rhetorical center is the prophetic oracle of vv. 22–23: ἰδοὺ ἀκοὴ ὑπὲρ θυσίαν ἀγαθή ('behold, obedience is better than sacrifice'), with the searing equation ἁμαρτία οἰώνισμά ἐστιν ('sin is divination') and the verbal lex talionis ἐξουδένωσας … ἐξουδενώσει σε ('you have despised … he will despise you'). The chapter ends in three acts of severance: the torn διπλοΐς ('robe', v. 27) as a sign of the torn kingdom, Samuel's hewing of Agag ἐνώπιον κυρίου (v. 33), and the final separation of prophet and king until Saul's death.

1

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ ἐμὲ ἀπέστειλεν κύριος χρῖσαί σε εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ καὶ νῦν ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου

And Samuel said to Saul, 'The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over Israel; and now hear the voice of the LORD.'

New narrative unit: prophetic commission-speech (main line)καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ
The chapter opens with the standard καί-paratactic speech-introduction. Samuel grounds his authority in the prior anointing (cf. ch. 9–10), placing the emphatic pronoun ἐμέ first ('me the LORD sent') to stress that the command Saul is about to receive is mediated divine word, not Samuel's own. The imperative ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου frames the entire chapter, whose theme is obedience to that voice.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introducing formula)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: 'say / speak'; the aorist εἶπεν with the following πρός + acc. is the standard LXX narrative formula introducing direct speech; here it opens the prophetic confrontation that structures the chapter.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: transliteration of Hebrew שְׁמוּאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; the last of the judges and the prophet who anoints both Saul and David, here functioning as the mouthpiece of YHWH's rejection of Saul.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΣαουλSaulaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: transliteration of Hebrew שָׁאוּל ('asked for'); indeclinable in the LXX; the first king of Israel, whose disobedience in this chapter occasions the irrevocable transfer of the kingdom.
ἐμὲmeAccusativedirect object (emphatic, fronted before the verb)→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. ἐμέ): the accentuated form ἐμέ placed before ἀπέστειλεν is emphatic — 'it is me the LORD sent'; the fronting underlines that Samuel's words carry divine, not personal, authority.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (divine commissioning)→ verbal action or stateἀποστέλλω: 'send (with a commission)'; renders שָׁלַח; the verb stresses Samuel's role as an authorized envoy; the same root recurs at v. 18 (ἀπέστειλέν σε κύριος) of Saul's own commission, binding prophet and king under the one sending word.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the nominative subject marks the sending of Samuel as a direct act of YHWH.
χρῖσαίto anointAor Act Inf · χρίωinfinitive of purpose (with ἀπέστειλεν)→ verbal action or stateχρίω: 'anoint'; renders מָשַׁח; the verb from which Χριστός / Messiah derives; the aorist infinitive expresses the purpose of the original mission and grounds Saul's kingship in a divine anointing now about to be revoked.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of χρῖσαί→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): enclitic accusative; the object of the anointing — Saul himself, whose election is here recalled as the foil to his coming rejection.
εἰςas / forpreposition + accusative (predicative: 'as king')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: here predicative ('to be / as'), a Hebraism rendering לְ; the construction χρῖσαι εἰς βασιλέα = 'anoint to be king' (cf. v. 17).
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative predicate (object complement with εἰς)→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; renders מֶלֶךְ; the office at issue throughout the chapter — granted by anointing (v. 1) and forfeited by disobedience (vv. 23, 26).
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (authority: 'over Israel')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: here marking the sphere of rule ('over'), rendering עַל; the phrase βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ recurs verbatim at vv. 17, 23, 26, 35, framing the rise and fall of Saul's reign.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐπί (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; the covenant people over whom Saul reigns and on whose behalf Amalek is to be punished.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the imperative)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transitional: 'and now')→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: 'now'; the formula καὶ νῦν renders וְעַתָּה, a standard Hebrew transition from grounds to exhortation — having recalled the anointing, Samuel draws the demand for obedience.
ἄκουεhearPres Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (present imperative of command)→ verbal action or stateἀκούω: 'hear / listen / obey'; renders שָׁמַע, which fuses hearing and obeying; the present imperative calls for sustained attentiveness; this verb and its noun ἀκοή (v. 22) form the thematic key of the chapter — Saul's failure is precisely a failure to 'hear the voice of the LORD' (vv. 19, 22).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φωνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ἄκουε (thing heard)→ relational specificationφωνή: 'voice / sound'; renders קוֹל; ἀκούω takes the genitive of the source heard; 'the voice of the LORD' is the standard idiom for the divine command (cf. vv. 19, 20, 22), set in deliberate contrast with 'the voice of the people' that Saul actually heeded (vv. 20, 24).
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source (possessive: 'the voice of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה; the genitive marks the voice as YHWH's own; obedience to this voice is the criterion by which Saul will be judged and found wanting.
2

τάδε εἶπεν κύριος σαβαωθ νῦν ἐκδικήσω ἃ ἐποίησεν Αμαληκ τῷ Ισραηλ ὡς ἀπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἀναβαίνοντος αὐτοῦ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου

Thus said the LORD of hosts: 'Now I will take vengeance for what Amalek did to Israel, how he opposed him on the way as he was coming up out of Egypt.'

Embedded divine oracle (messenger-formula introducing direct YHWH-speech)τάδε εἶπεν κύριος σαβαωθ
The prophetic messenger-formula τάδε εἶπεν κύριος (= כֹּה אָמַר יהוה) marks the words that follow as the very speech of YHWH, now titled κύριος σαβαωθ ('LORD of hosts'), the war-name fitting a command of holy war. The oracle motivates the ḥērem on the basis of the ancient Amalekite ambush at the Exodus (Exod 17:8–16; Deut 25:17–19).
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
τάδεthus / these thingsAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (object of εἶπεν: content of the oracle)→ participant referenceὅδε, ἥδε, τόδε: 'this / these'; the formula τάδε εἶπεν κύριος renders כֹּה אָמַר יהוה, the prophetic messenger-formula; the neuter accusative plural τάδε points forward to the words about to be spoken.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb of the messenger-formula→ verbal action or stateλέγω: in the messenger-formula τάδε εἶπεν the aorist (rather than the historic present λέγει found elsewhere) presents the oracle as a completed, settled decree of YHWH.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of εἶπεν (divine speaker)→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; combined with σαβαωθ it forms the divine war-title appropriate to the command of ḥērem against Amalek.
σαβαωθof hosts / Sabaothindeclinable epithet (in apposition to κύριος: 'LORD of hosts')→ clausal contributionσαβαωθ: transliteration of Hebrew צְבָאוֹת ('armies / hosts'); left untranslated and indeclinable in this part of the LXX; κύριος σαβαωθ ('LORD of armies') is the martial divine title invoking YHWH as commander of the heavenly and Israelite hosts, fitting for a holy-war command.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (marking the time of reckoning)→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: 'now'; signals that the long-deferred reckoning for Amalek's Exodus-era hostility has finally come due.
ἐκδικήσωI will avenge / punishFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐκδικέωmain verb (divine first-person announcement of vengeance)→ verbal action or stateἐκδικέω: 'avenge / exact justice / punish'; renders פָּקַד / נָקַם; the first-person future presents the war against Amalek as YHWH's own judicial vengeance, executed through Saul, for the unprovoked attack recorded in Exod 17 and recalled in Deut 25:17–19.
ἃwhat / the things whichAccusativerelative pronoun (accusative object of ἐποίησεν; antecedent implied)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ (acc. n. pl. ἅ): relative pronoun; here without expressed antecedent ('the things which'), object of both ἐκδικήσω (as ground) and ἐποίησεν (within the clause).
ἐποίησενdidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωverb of relative clause (Amalek's past deed)→ verbal action or stateποιέω: 'do / make'; renders עָשָׂה; the aorist refers to Amalek's specific historic act of aggression against Israel during the wilderness journey.
ΑμαληκAmaleksubject of ἐποίησεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: transliteration of Hebrew עֲמָלֵק; indeclinable in the LXX; here the nation/people personified as a single collective agent ('Amalek did … he met'); the perennial enemy of Israel marked for the ban.
τῷto theDativearticle (with Ισραηλ, indeclinable name made dative by the article)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλIsraelindirect object (dative via the article τῷ: 'to Israel')→ noun-phrase markingΙσραηλ: indeclinable; here the indeclinable name is supplied a dative case by the preceding article τῷ, the LXX's regular device for inflecting indeclinable proper nouns ('to Israel').
ὡςhow / whenconjunction (epexegetical/temporal: specifying the deed)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'how / as / when'; here it unpacks the ἅ ('what Amalek did') by specifying the circumstance — the ambush met on the road.
ἀπήντησενmet / opposedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαντάωverb of the ὡς-clause (Amalek's hostile encounter)→ verbal action or stateἀπαντάω: 'meet / encounter / oppose'; renders קָרָה / קָדַם; in a hostile context it means to intercept or waylay — Amalek 'met' (ambushed) Israel on the wilderness road; takes the dative αὐτῷ.
αὐτῷhimDativedative object of ἀπήντησεν (= Israel)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): personal pronoun referring back to Israel (treated as a singular collective); ἀπαντάω governs the dative of the person met.
ἐνin / onpreposition + dative (locative: 'on the way')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative: 'on the way').
τῇtheDativearticle (with ὁδῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδῷway / roadDativedative of place (locative: 'on the road')→ sphere or referenceὁδός: 'way / road / journey'; renders דֶּרֶךְ; 'on the way' locates the offense during the Exodus wilderness march; the same noun reappears (vv. 18, 20) of the 'way' on which Saul was now sent against Amalek.
ἀναβαίνοντοςcoming upPres Act Ptcp Gen Sg Masc · ἀναβαίνωparticiple in genitive absolute (with αὐτοῦ: 'as he came up')→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω: 'go up / come up'; renders עָלָה; the genitive-absolute construction ἀναβαίνοντος αὐτοῦ ('as he was coming up') fixes the offense at the moment of the Exodus ascent from Egypt — the foundational journey of redemption defiled by Amalek's attack.
αὐτοῦhis / heGenitivegenitive subject of the genitive-absolute participle (= Israel)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): the genitive pronoun is the logical subject of ἀναβαίνοντος in the genitive-absolute construction, referring to Israel.
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source: 'out of Egypt')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ / ἐξ: 'out of / from'; ἐξ before a vowel; marks the source-point of the journey, the Exodus from Egypt.
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ (source)→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος (gen. Αἰγύπτου): standard LXX form of מִצְרַיִם; the declinable place-name takes the genitive after ἐξ; 'coming up out of Egypt' is the fixed Exodus formula, anchoring Amalek's crime in salvation history.
3

καὶ νῦν πορεύου καὶ πατάξεις τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ Ιεριμ καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ περιποιήσῃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξολεθρεύσεις αὐτὸν καὶ ἀναθεματιεῖς αὐτὸν καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ φείσῃ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποκτενεῖς ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἕως γυναικὸς καὶ ἀπὸ νηπίου ἕως θηλάζοντος καὶ ἀπὸ μόσχου ἕως προβάτου καὶ ἀπὸ καμήλου ἕως ὄνου

'And now go and strike Amalek and Ierim and all that is his, and you shall not preserve anything of his, and you shall utterly destroy him and devote him to the ban, him and all that is his; and you shall not spare anything of his, and you shall kill from man even to woman, and from infant to nursling, and from calf to sheep, and from camel to donkey.'

Imperatival application of the oracle (the ḥērem command itself)καὶ νῦν πορεύου
καὶ νῦν (= וְעַתָּה) moves from the vengeance-motive (v. 2) to the command. A cascade of futures with imperatival force (πατάξεις … ἐξολεθρεύσεις … ἀναθεματιεῖς … ἀποκτενεῖς) spells out the total ban (ḥērem). The double prohibition οὐ περιποιήσῃ … οὐ φείσῃ ('do not preserve … do not spare') is precisely what Saul violates in v. 9 (περιεποιήσατο). The fourfold ἀπό…ἕως merism (man–woman, infant–nursling, calf–sheep, camel–donkey) makes the destruction exhaustive.
Word-by-word analysis· 55 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transitional: from motive to command)→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: the formula καὶ νῦν (= וְעַתָּה) draws the practical command from the foregoing rationale: because Amalek's crime stands, act now.
πορεύουgoPres Mid Impv 2 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (present imperative of commission)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι: 'go / proceed / journey'; renders הָלַךְ; the imperative launches the campaign; the same verb is recalled in Saul's defense at v. 20 (ἐπορεύθην ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking imperative to future-command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πατάξειςyou shall strikeFut Act Indic 2 Sg · πατάσσωmain verb (future with imperatival force)→ verbal action or stateπατάσσω: 'strike / smite / defeat'; renders נָכָה; the future with imperatival force (a Hebraism rendering the Hebrew imperfect of command) is standard in legal/oracular contexts; fulfilled at v. 7 (ἐπάταξεν Σαουλ).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting indeclinable Αμαληκ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμαληκAmalekdirect object of πατάξεις (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable; the article τόν supplies the accusative; the personified nation as the object of the ban.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΙεριμIerimdirect object (indeclinable proper noun, coordinate with Αμαληκ)→ participant identificationΙεριμ: an indeclinable transliterated name in the Greek text (recurring at v. 8 'all the people Ierim'); it appears to render a designation of the Amalekite people/host; indeclinable, with no case morphology.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάνταallAccusativeadjective (substantival: 'all the things')→ object specificationπᾶς (acc. n. pl. πάντα): 'all / everything'; the totality-marker is central to the ḥērem command — 'all that is his' is to be destroyed, the very thing Saul violates by sparing the best (v. 9).
τὰthe thingsAccusativearticle (substantivizing the genitive αὐτοῦ: 'the things of him')→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (τὰ αὐτοῦ = 'his possessions')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): the idiom πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ ('all that is his') sweeps in every possession of Amalek — people, livestock, goods — all consigned to the ban.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegative particle (with future-prohibition)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: the negative with the future indicative forms an emphatic prohibition ('you shall by no means …'), a Hebraism for לֹא + imperfect.
περιποιήσῃyou shall preserveFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · περιποιέωmain verb (prohibited future)→ verbal action or stateπεριποιέω (mid. 'save for oneself / preserve'): renders the Hiphil of חָיָה / יָתַר; the prohibition οὐ περιποιήσῃ ('do not keep anything alive for yourself') is exactly transgressed at v. 9 (περιεποιήσατο Σαουλ), the verbal key to Saul's sin.
ἐξof / frompreposition + genitive (partitive: 'any of his')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ / ἐξ: partitive 'from / of'; ἐξ αὐτοῦ = 'any part of what is his'.
αὐτοῦhis / itGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ (partitive)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἐξ (partitive).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξολεθρεύσειςyou shall utterly destroyFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐξολεθρεύωmain verb (future-command)→ verbal action or stateἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly / exterminate'; renders the Hiphil of שָׁמַד / כָּרַת; the compound ἐξ- intensifies to total annihilation; this verb (and the related noun ἐξολέθρευμα, v. 21) recurs throughout the chapter as the measure of the ban Saul only partly executes (vv. 8, 9, 15, 18, 20).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἐξολεθρεύσεις (= Amalek)→ participant referenceαὐτὸν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐξολεθρεύσεις (= Amalek).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀναθεματιεῖςyou shall devote to the banFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀναθεματίζωmain verb (future-command, defining the ḥērem)→ verbal action or stateἀναθεματίζω: 'devote to destruction / put under the ban'; renders the Hiphil of חָרַם, the technical term for ḥērem — irrevocable consecration of the enemy and spoil to YHWH by annihilation; this is the precise category Saul violates by sparing Agag and the herds.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἀναθεματιεῖς→ participant referenceαὐτὸν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἀναθεματιεῖς.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάνταallAccusativeadjective (substantival, second occurrence: 'all that is his')→ object specificationπᾶς: the repeated πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ underscores the comprehensiveness of the ban — not a portion but the whole.
τὰthe thingsAccusativearticle (substantivizing αὐτοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (τὰ αὐτοῦ)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (τὰ αὐτοῦ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegative particle (with future-prohibition)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φείσῃyou shall spareFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · φείδομαιmain verb (prohibited future)→ verbal action or stateφείδομαι: 'spare / show consideration for'; renders חָמַל; the prohibition οὐ φείσῃ pairs with οὐ περιποιήσῃ to forbid all mercy on the devoted thing; the same root verb describes the people's actual sparing in the narrative.
ἀπ᾿of / frompreposition + genitive (partitive, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό (elided ἀπ᾿): partitive 'from / any of'; with φείδομαι, 'spare nothing of his'.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive object of ἀπ᾿ (partitive)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἀπ᾿ (partitive).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποκτενεῖςyou shall killFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀποκτείνωmain verb (future-command introducing the merism)→ verbal action or stateἀποκτείνω: 'kill / put to death'; renders הָרַג / מוּת; governs the fourfold ἀπό…ἕως merism that follows, mapping the totality of the slaughter across humans and animals alike.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (start of first merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: the construction ἀπό…ἕως ('from … to') is a merism of totality; four such pairs follow, leaving no category of life exempt.
ἀνδρὸςmanGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (first merism term)→ relational specificationἀνήρ (gen. ἀνδρός): 'man / male'; renders אִישׁ; the first pole of the human merism.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἕωςto / even topreposition + genitive (end of first merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'as far as / up to'; here a preposition with the genitive marking the second pole of each merism pair.
γυναικὸςwomanGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (second term of first pair)→ relational specificationγυνή (gen. γυναικός): 'woman'; renders אִשָּׁה; together with ἀνήρ it embraces the whole adult population.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (start of second merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (start of second merism pair).
νηπίουinfantGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (first term of second pair)→ relational specificationνήπιος: 'infant / small child'; renders עוֹלֵל; with θηλάζοντος it covers even the youngest, intensifying the severity of the ban.
ἕωςtopreposition + genitive (end of second merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (end of second merism pair).
θηλάζοντοςnurslingPres Act Ptcp Gen Sg Masc · θηλάζωsubstantival participle (genitive object of ἕως: 'the suckling one')→ verbal action or stateθηλάζω: 'suckle / nurse'; the substantival participle τοῦ θηλάζοντος ('the nursing one') renders יוֹנֵק; paired with νήπιος it stresses that not even the breastfeeding infant is exempt.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (start of third merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (start of third merism pair).
μόσχουcalfGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (first term of third pair)→ relational specificationμόσχος: 'calf / young bull'; renders שׁוֹר / עֵגֶל; the merism now extends to livestock, anticipating the very animals Saul will spare (v. 9).
ἕωςtopreposition + genitive (end of third merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (end of third merism pair).
προβάτουsheepGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (second term of third pair)→ relational specificationπρόβατον: 'sheep / small cattle'; renders שֶׂה / צֹאן; the flocks (ποίμνια) preserved in v. 9 are precisely this category.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (start of fourth merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (start of fourth merism pair).
καμήλουcamelGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (first term of fourth pair)→ relational specificationκάμηλος: 'camel'; renders גָּמָל; the camel, valuable beast of the steppe nomad, heads the final merism pair.
ἕωςtopreposition + genitive (end of fourth merism pair)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (end of fourth merism pair).
ὄνουdonkeyGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (final term of merism)→ relational specificationὄνος: 'donkey / ass'; renders חֲמוֹר; the closing term of the fourth merism pair; the whole sequence (man–woman, infant–nursling, calf–sheep, camel–donkey) seals the absolute, exceptionless scope of the ḥērem.
4

καὶ παρήγγειλεν Σαουλ τῷ λαῷ καὶ ἐπισκέπτεται αὐτοὺς ἐν Γαλγαλοις τετρακοσίας χιλιάδας ταγμάτων καὶ τὸν Ιουδαν τριάκοντα χιλιάδας ταγμάτων

And Saul gave orders to the people, and he mustered them at Galgala — four hundred thousand companies, and Judah thirty thousand companies.

Narrative resumption: execution begins (obedience phase)καὶ παρήγγειλεν Σαουλ
The narrative turns from command to action. Saul promptly obeys the order to go, summoning and numbering the host. The historic present ἐπισκέπτεται ('he musters') enlivens the mustering scene. The figures (400,000 + 30,000 of Judah) display the scale of the holy-war levy; the separate notice of Judah anticipates the later north–south divide.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρήγγειλενgave orders / summonedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παραγγέλλωmain verb (Saul's command to the people)→ verbal action or stateπαραγγέλλω: 'give orders / command / summon (to arms)'; renders שָׁמַע (Hiphil 'summon') / צָעַק; the military sense ('call up') fits the levy of troops for the campaign.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the king now acts on the command, mustering Israel for the Amalekite war.
τῷtheDativearticle (with λαῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαῷpeople / armyDativeindirect object of παρήγγειλεν (recipients of the order)→ sphere or referenceλαός: 'people'; here the people as the mustered fighting force; in this chapter ὁ λαός becomes the scapegoat of Saul's excuses (vv. 15, 21, 24) — the very ones he was to lead in obedience.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπισκέπτεταιhe musters / numbersPres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐπισκέπτομαιmain verb (historic present: enumeration of troops)→ verbal action or stateἐπισκέπτομαι: 'visit / inspect / muster (a host)'; renders פָּקַד; the technical sense here is the military census ('number for war'); the historic present makes the mustering vivid within the past narrative.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐπισκέπτεται (= the people)→ participant referenceαὐτοὺς: meaning 'them'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐπισκέπτεται (= the people).
ἐνat / inpreposition + dative (place of mustering)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'at'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (place of mustering).
ΓαλγαλοιςGalgala / GilgalDativedative of place (locative: 'at Galgala')→ sphere or referenceΓαλγαλα (here dat. pl. Γαλγαλοις): Greek rendering of Hebrew גִּלְגָּל (Gilgal); inflected here as a Greek second-declension dative plural, hence assigned a case; Gilgal is the cultic and royal site where Saul both musters (v. 4) and later sacrifices (v. 12, 21) — and where Samuel finally slays Agag (v. 33).
τετρακοσίαςfour hundredAccusativenumeral adjective (modifying χιλιάδας)→ object specificationτετρακόσιοι, -αι, -α: 'four hundred'; the feminine accusative agrees with χιλιάδας; the large round figure conveys the full holy-war levy of Israel.
χιλιάδαςthousandsAccusativeaccusative of extent (object of ἐπισκέπτεται: number mustered)→ object specificationχιλιάς: 'a thousand / unit of a thousand'; renders אֶלֶף, which can denote both 'thousand' and a military 'clan-contingent'; the figure 'four hundred thousand' counts the assembled host of Israel.
ταγμάτωνcompanies / divisionsGenitivegenitive (of the units numbered: 'thousands of companies')→ relational specificationτάγμα: 'company / division / ordered unit'; the genitive ταγμάτων specifies the kind of unit counted — organized military formations; the LXX expands the bare Hebrew count into an explicitly martial enumeration.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing Judah's separate count)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Ιουδαν as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙουδανJudahAccusativeaccusative (separate object of the muster: 'and Judah')→ object specificationΙουδας (acc. Ιουδαν): Greek form of Hebrew יְהוּדָה; here declinable (first-declension acc. Ιουδαν); the separate tally of Judah from the rest of Israel reflects the tribe's distinct standing and foreshadows the eventual division of the kingdom.
τριάκονταthirtyindeclinable numeral (modifying χιλιάδας)→ measure or countτριάκοντα: 'thirty'; indeclinable cardinal numeral; with χιλιάδας it gives Judah's contingent as 'thirty thousand'.
χιλιάδαςthousandsAccusativeaccusative of extent (Judah's count)→ object specificationχιλιάς: 'thousand / contingent'; the second enumeration parallels the first, distinguishing Judah's 30,000 from Israel's 400,000.
ταγμάτωνcompaniesGenitivegenitive (of the units numbered, parallel to first occurrence)→ relational specificationτάγμα: the repeated genitive ταγμάτων keeps the martial framing consistent across both contingents.
5

καὶ ἦλθεν Σαουλ ἕως τῶν πόλεων Αμαληκ καὶ ἐνήδρευσεν ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ

And Saul came as far as the cities of Amalek and lay in ambush in the wadi.

Narrative advance: approach and tactical positioningκαὶ ἦλθεν Σαουλ
Two coordinated aorists carry the campaign forward: Saul advances to the Amalekite cities and sets an ambush in the wadi. The military verb ἐνήδρευσεν shows competent generalship, heightening by contrast the moral failure that follows in his selective obedience.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἦλθενcameAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (Saul's advance)→ verbal action or stateἔρχομαι: 'come / go'; renders בּוֹא; the aorist marks Saul's arrival at the enemy's territory.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (extent of advance)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'up to / as far as'; here marking the spatial limit of Saul's march.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with πόλεων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωνcitiesGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (goal of the advance)→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. pl. πόλεων): 'city'; renders עִיר; 'the cities of Amalek' designates the enemy's settlements, the objective of the campaign.
Αμαληκof Amalekgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'cities of Amalek')→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable; functions as a genitive ('of Amalek') without case morphology.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνήδρευσενlay in ambushAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐνεδρεύωmain verb (tactical positioning)→ verbal action or stateἐνεδρεύω: 'lie in wait / ambush'; renders אָרַב; the verb shows Saul's military competence — he stations a force to waylay the enemy, ironically the same tactic Amalek once used against Israel (v. 2, ἀπήντησεν).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location of ambush)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location of ambush).
τῷtheDativearticle (with χειμάρρῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χειμάρρῳwadi / ravineDativedative of place (locative: 'in the wadi')→ sphere or referenceχείμαρρος: 'torrent-bed / wadi / ravine'; renders נַחַל; a seasonal streambed providing cover for the ambush; such ravines were natural sites for military concealment.
6

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τὸν Κιναῖον ἄπελθε καὶ ἔκκλινον ἐκ μέσου τοῦ Αμαληκίτου μὴ προσθῶ σε μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἐποίησας ἔλεος μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξέκλινεν ὁ Κιναῖος ἐκ μέσου Αμαληκ

And Saul said to the Kenite, 'Go, depart from the midst of the Amalekite, lest I sweep you away with him; for you showed mercy to the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.' And the Kenite departed from the midst of Amalek.

Embedded speech + narrative compliance (digression on the Kenites)καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τὸν Κιναῖον
An aside on covenant-faithfulness: Saul warns the Kenites to withdraw so they will not perish with Amalek, grounding the warning in their ancestral kindness (ἔλεος) to Israel at the Exodus. The episode rewards old loyalty even amid the ban, and its theme of ḥesed-remembered stands in pointed contrast to the disobedience the same Saul will commit toward the explicit command.
Word-by-word analysis· 39 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: standard narrative speech-introduction.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Κιναῖον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΚιναῖονKeniteAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the addressee)→ object specificationΚιναῖος: 'Kenite'; gentilic rendering Hebrew קֵינִי; here collective singular ('the Kenite people'); the Kenites were associated with Israel from the wilderness (related to Hobab/Jethro, cf. Judg 1:16; 4:11), hence their exemption from the ban.
ἄπελθεgo awayAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀπέρχομαιmain verb (imperative of warning)→ verbal action or stateἀπέρχομαι: 'go away / depart'; renders הָלַךְ / סוּר; the urgent aorist imperative urges immediate separation from the doomed Amalekites.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking imperatives)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔκκλινονturn asideAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐκκλίνωmain verb (imperative of separation)→ verbal action or stateἐκκλίνω: 'turn aside / withdraw'; renders סוּר; the verb (cognate with ἐξέκλινεν at the verse's end) frames the Kenites' obedient compliance, a small narrative model of heeding instruction.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
μέσουmidstGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (idiomatic: 'from the midst')→ relational specificationμέσος: 'middle / midst'; ἐκ μέσου ('from among') renders מִתּוֹךְ; the idiom calls for physical extraction of the Kenites from among the Amalekites before the slaughter.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Αμαληκίτου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμαληκίτουAmalekiteGenitivegenitive (the people from whom to separate)→ relational specificationΑμαληκίτης (gen. Αμαληκίτου): 'Amalekite'; the gentilic, here declinable singular collective; from this doomed people the Kenites must remove themselves.
μὴlestnegative conjunction (introducing a clause of apprehension)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: with the subjunctive, 'lest / so that … not'; introduces the danger to be averted by withdrawing.
προσθῶI add / sweep awayAor Act Subj 1 Sg · προστίθημιverb of negative purpose clause (with μή)→ verbal action or stateπροστίθημι: lit. 'add / put together with'; here in the idiom μὴ προσθῶ σε μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ('lest I add/lump you in with him') = 'lest I sweep you away along with him'; a Hebraistic idiom (cf. אָסַף) for being gathered up to destruction together with another.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of προσθῶ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of προσθῶ.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (association, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingμετά (elided μετ᾿): 'with / together with'; marks the dangerous association from which the Kenites must extricate themselves.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετ᾿ (= the Amalekite)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of μετ᾿ (= the Amalekite).
καὶfor / andcoordinate conjunction (here causal-explanatory)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here introduces the ground of the warning ('for / and indeed'), explaining why the Kenites deserve to be spared.
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceσύ: the emphatic nominative ('you yourself') stresses the Kenites' personal record of kindness as the reason for their exemption.
ἐποίησαςdid / showedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (the Kenites' past kindness)→ verbal action or stateποιέω: 'do / make'; in the idiom ποιέω ἔλεος μετά τινος ('show mercy to / deal kindly with') renders עָשָׂה חֶסֶד עִם, the covenant-loyalty phrase; the Kenites' Exodus-era ḥesed earns their deliverance now.
ἔλεοςmercy / kindnessAccusativedirect object of ἐποίησας (the kindness shown)→ object specificationἔλεος: 'mercy / lovingkindness'; renders חֶסֶד; loyal covenant-kindness; the Kenites' past ἔλεος toward Israel is repaid by Saul's protective warning.
μετὰwith / topreposition + genitive (the beneficiaries)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: in the idiom ποιέω ἔλεος μετά = 'show kindness to'.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with υἱῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive object of μετὰ ('the sons of Israel')→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl. υἱῶν): 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ('the sons/children of Israel') renders בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, the standard designation of the covenant people.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'sons of Israel')→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
ἐνwhen / inpreposition + dative (with articular infinitive, temporal)→ spatial or relational framingἐν τῷ + infinitive: a temporal construction ('when / while'), a common LXX rendering of Hebrew בְּ + infinitive construct.
τῷtheDativearticle (with the articular infinitive ἀναβαίνειν)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀναβαίνεινcoming upPres Act Inf · ἀναβαίνωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'when they came up')→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω: 'go up'; the articular infinitive ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτούς ('when they were coming up') echoes the Exodus phrase of v. 2; the Kenites' kindness occurred during the same wilderness ascent in which Amalek committed its crime.
αὐτοὺςthey / themAccusativeaccusative subject of the articular infinitive (= the sons of Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτούς): the accusative subject of ἀναβαίνειν in the ἐν τῷ + infinitive construction.
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐξ: meaning 'out of'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source).
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ (source of the journey)→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος (gen. Αἰγύπτου): the Exodus formula recurs, tying the Kenite kindness and the Amalekite crime to the same redemptive event.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing compliance)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξέκλινενdeparted / turned asideAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐκκλίνωmain verb (the Kenite's obedient withdrawal)→ verbal action or stateἐκκλίνω: 'turn aside / withdraw'; the same verb commanded in ἔκκλινον is now narrated as fulfilled — the Kenite promptly obeys, a quiet foil to Saul's failure to obey YHWH's clear command.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with Κιναῖος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΚιναῖοςKeniteNominativesubject of ἐξέκλινεν→ participant prominenceΚιναῖος: 'Kenite'; the collective people who comply with Saul's warning and so escape the ban.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
μέσουmidstGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ ('from the midst')→ relational specificationμέσος: ἐκ μέσου ('from among'); the Kenites remove themselves from the Amalekites, fulfilling the command of separation.
Αμαληκof Amalekgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'midst of Amalek')→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable.
7

καὶ ἐπάταξεν Σαουλ τὸν Αμαληκ ἀπὸ Ευιλατ ἕως Σουρ ἐπὶ προσώπου Αἰγύπτου

And Saul struck Amalek from Euilat as far as Sur, which is opposite Egypt.

Narrative climax of the campaign (fulfilling the command of v. 3)καὶ ἐπάταξεν Σαουλ
The verb πατάξεις commanded in v. 3 is now fulfilled (ἐπάταξεν). The geographical span 'from Euilat to Sur, opposite Egypt' indicates a sweeping victory across the whole Amalekite range, underlining that the military objective was fully achieved — so that the failure to come is moral, not strategic.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπάταξενstruckAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωmain verb (the victory over Amalek)→ verbal action or stateπατάσσω: 'strike / smite / defeat'; the fulfillment of the command πατάξεις (v. 3); Saul does indeed defeat Amalek militarily, making the spared spoil the sole point of disobedience.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αμαληκ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμαληκAmalekdirect object of ἐπάταξεν (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (start of geographical span)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: the ἀπό…ἕως span describes the geographical extent of the rout.
ΕυιλατEuilat / Havilahobject of ἀπό (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΕυιλατ: transliteration of Hebrew חֲוִילָה (Havilah); indeclinable; the eastern limit of the Amalekite territory.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (end of span)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'up to / as far as'; marks the western limit.
ΣουρSur / Shurobject of ἕως (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΣουρ: transliteration of Hebrew שׁוּר (Shur); indeclinable; the wilderness region bordering Egypt's eastern frontier.
ἐπὶopposite / facingpreposition + genitive (with προσώπου: 'before the face of')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + gen.: in the idiom ἐπὶ προσώπου ('on the face of / opposite'), a Hebraism rendering עַל־פְּנֵי.
προσώπουface / frontGenitivegenitive (idiomatic: 'opposite the face of Egypt')→ relational specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / front'; ἐπὶ προσώπου Αἰγύπτου ('opposite Egypt') renders עַל־פְּנֵי מִצְרַיִם, locating Sur on Egypt's eastern border.
Αἰγύπτουof EgyptGenitivegenitive of relationship (with προσώπου)→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος (gen. Αἰγύπτου): the geographical reference-point closing the description of the conquered range.
8

καὶ συνέλαβεν τὸν Αγαγ βασιλέα Αμαληκ ζῶντα καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν Ιεριμ ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας

And he captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but all the people, Ierim, he killed with the edge of the sword.

Narrative pivot: the decisive deviation beginsκαὶ συνέλαβεν
The fatal contrast is set with stark parataxis: Agag is taken alive (ζῶντα), while the people are put to the sword. The participle ζῶντα ('alive') is the lexical seed of the disobedience — the very king who should have been under the ban is preserved; the contrast with ἀπέκτεινεν (he killed) of the common people exposes the selective, status-driven nature of Saul's partial compliance.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
συνέλαβενcaptured / seizedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συλλαμβάνωmain verb (capture of Agag)→ verbal action or stateσυλλαμβάνω: 'seize / arrest / capture'; renders תָּפַשׂ; Agag is taken prisoner rather than slain, the first concrete breach of the ḥērem command to spare no one (v. 3).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αγαγ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑγαγAgagdirect object of συνέλαβεν (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: transliteration of Hebrew אֲגָג; indeclinable; the Amalekite king whose sparing constitutes Saul's central disobedience and whom Samuel finally hews in pieces (v. 33); 'Agagite' later identifies Haman (Esth 3:1).
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Αγαγ→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; in apposition, 'Agag king of Amalek'; the royal status is precisely what made him a prize worth sparing — and so the prime object of the ban.
Αμαληκof Amalekgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Amalek')→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable.
ζῶνταalivePres Act Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · ζάωpredicate participle (circumstantial: 'captured him alive')→ verbal action or stateζάω: 'live'; the participle ζῶντα ('living / alive') is the pivotal word — Agag is kept alive in direct violation of the ban; the same participle recurs in v. 9 (τὸν Αγαγ ζῶντα), hammering the point.
καὶbut / andcoordinate conjunction (here contrastive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here functions adversatively ('but'), opposing the sparing of the king to the slaughter of the populace.
πάνταallAccusativeadjective (modifying λαόν)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; 'all the people' were killed — the totality applied to the common folk while the king alone was spared, exposing the partiality of the obedience.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸνpeopleAccusativedirect object of ἀπέκτεινεν→ object specificationλαός: 'people'; here the Amalekite populace, put to the sword in fulfillment of the ban — the part Saul did carry out.
ΙεριμIerimindeclinable name in apposition to λαόν ('the people, Ierim')→ participant identificationΙεριμ: indeclinable transliterated designation (as in v. 3), here apposed to 'all the people' — apparently a designation of the Amalekite host/people put to the sword.
ἀπέκτεινενkilledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκτείνωmain verb (slaughter of the people)→ verbal action or stateἀποκτείνω: 'kill / put to death'; the same verb commanded in v. 3 (ἀποκτενεῖς); applied to the people but withheld from Agag and the best livestock — the selectivity is the indictment.
ἐνwith / bypreposition + dative (instrumental Hebraism)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: instrumental ('by means of'), a Hebraism in the idiom ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας.
στόματιmouth / edgeDativedative of instrument (idiomatic: 'edge of the sword')→ sphere or referenceστόμα: 'mouth'; the idiom ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας ('by the mouth/edge of the sword') renders לְפִי־חֶרֶב, the standard Hebrew phrase for total slaughter in holy war.
ῥομφαίαςof the swordGenitivegenitive (with στόματι: 'edge of the sword')→ relational specificationῥομφαία: 'sword / large blade'; renders חֶרֶב; the instrument of the ban-slaughter; ἡ ῥομφαία σου ('your sword') recurs at v. 33 in the talionic sentence on Agag.
9

καὶ περιεποιήσατο Σαουλ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τὸν Αγαγ ζῶντα καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῶν ποιμνίων καὶ τῶν βουκολίων καὶ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων καὶ τῶν ἀμπελώνων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο αὐτὰ ἐξολεθρεῦσαι καὶ πᾶν ἔργον ἠτιμωμένον καὶ ἐξουδενωμένον ἐξωλέθρευσαν

And Saul and all the people spared Agag alive, and the best of the flocks and of the herds and of the foods and of the vineyards and all the good things, and he was not willing to destroy them; but every work that was despised and worthless they utterly destroyed.

The decisive act of disobedience (narrator's indictment)καὶ περιεποιήσατο Σαουλ
The verb περιεποιήσατο directly violates the prohibition οὐ περιποιήσῃ (v. 3): Saul and the people 'preserve' Agag and the best spoil. The criterion of their selection is value (τὰ ἀγαθά … πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν), the inverse of the ban; only the worthless (ἠτιμωμένον, ἐξουδενωμένον) is destroyed. The note οὐκ ἐβούλετο … ἐξολεθρεῦσαι ('was not willing to destroy') makes the disobedience a matter of the will, not of incapacity.
Word-by-word analysis· 40 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
περιεποιήσατοspared / preservedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · περιποιέωmain verb (the act of sparing)→ verbal action or stateπεριποιέω (mid. 'keep for oneself / preserve alive'): the exact verb prohibited at v. 3 (οὐ περιποιήσῃ); its appearance here is the narrator's verbal indictment — Saul did precisely what he was forbidden to do; cf. v. 15 (περιεποιήσατο ὁ λαός).
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; named first as the responsible agent, though 'all the people' share the act.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (compound subject)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πᾶςallNominativeadjective (modifying λαός)→ participant prominenceπᾶς: 'all / whole'; 'all the people' joins Saul in the sparing, though Saul as king bears the responsibility; Saul will later try to shift blame onto this same λαός (vv. 15, 21, 24).
ὁtheNominativearticle (with λαός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject (coordinate with Σαουλ)→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people / army'; the second subject of περιεποιήσατο; their collusion does not excuse the king's responsibility.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αγαγ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑγαγAgagdirect object of περιεποιήσατο (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable; the spared king, named again as the first item of the preserved spoil.
ζῶνταalivePres Act Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · ζάωpredicate participle (circumstantial: 'spared alive')→ verbal action or stateζάω: 'live'; the repeated ζῶντα reinforces that Agag's continued life is the heart of the transgression.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (extending the spared objects)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with ἀγαθά)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγαθὰgood things / bestAccusativesubstantival adjective (direct object: 'the best')→ object specificationἀγαθός (n. pl. ἀγαθά): 'good / best'; τὰ ἀγαθά here = 'the best part / choicest'; the criterion of value drives the disobedience — the choicest animals are spared precisely because they are good, the opposite of the ban's indifference to worth.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with ποιμνίων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ποιμνίωνflocksGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the flocks')→ relational specificationποίμνιον: 'flock'; renders צֹאן; the flocks whose bleating will betray Saul in v. 14 (ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ποιμνίου).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with βουκολίων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βουκολίωνherdsGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the herds')→ relational specificationβουκόλιον: 'herd (of cattle)'; renders בָּקָר; the cattle-herds, second category of the preserved livestock (cf. v. 15 τῶν βοῶν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with ἐδεσμάτων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐδεσμάτωνfoods / delicaciesGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the foods')→ relational specificationἔδεσμα: 'food / delicacy / dish'; the LXX broadens the list of preserved goods beyond livestock to provisions and produce, underscoring that the sparing was comprehensive and self-interested.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with ἀμπελώνων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀμπελώνωνvineyardsGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the vineyards')→ relational specificationἀμπελών: 'vineyard'; the inclusion of vineyards (a Greek expansion) extends the spared goods to agricultural wealth, rounding out the picture of Saul keeping everything of value.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (summarizing)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάντωνallGenitiveadjective (modifying ἀγαθῶν: summarizing 'all the good things')→ relational specificationπᾶς (gen. pl. πάντων): 'all'; the summarizing phrase πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν ('all the good things') gathers the whole list into one indictment — everything good was kept.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ἀγαθῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγαθῶνgood thingsGenitivesubstantival adjective (genitive: 'of all the good things')→ relational specificationἀγαθός (gen. pl. ἀγαθῶν): 'good'; the repetition of ἀγαθά/ἀγαθῶν makes 'goodness/value' the explicit and damning criterion of what was spared.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἐβούλετο)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: negates the verb of willing, locating the failure in Saul's deliberate disposition.
ἐβούλετοwas willing / wishedImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · βούλομαιmain verb (Saul's unwillingness to destroy)→ verbal action or stateβούλομαι: 'will / wish / be willing'; the imperfect οὐκ ἐβούλετο ('he was not willing') makes the disobedience deliberate and volitional — not inability but refusal to carry out the ban.
αὐτὰthemAccusativedirect object of ἐξολεθρεῦσαι (= the good things)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. n. pl. αὐτά): refers to the spared spoil, the objects he was unwilling to destroy.
ἐξολεθρεῦσαιto destroy utterlyAor Act Inf · ἐξολεθρεύωcomplementary infinitive (with ἐβούλετο)→ verbal action or stateἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly'; the very act commanded in v. 3 (ἐξολεθρεύσεις), here the object of Saul's refusal — the ban-verb negated by his will.
καὶbut / andcoordinate conjunction (contrastive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here adversative ('but'), contrasting the spared best with the destroyed worthless.
πᾶνeveryAccusativeadjective (modifying ἔργον)→ object specificationπᾶς (acc. n. πᾶν): 'every / all'; 'every worthless thing' — the inverse selection: only what had no value was placed under the ban.
ἔργονwork / thingAccusativedirect object of ἐξωλέθρευσαν→ object specificationἔργον: 'work / product / thing'; here 'every (kind of) property/possession'; the worthless goods, in contrast to τὰ ἀγαθά, are what Saul actually devoted to destruction.
ἠτιμωμένονdespised / dishonoredPerf Pass Ptcp Acc Sg Neut · ἀτιμόωattributive participle (modifying ἔργον)→ verbal action or stateἀτιμόω: 'dishonor / treat as worthless'; the perfect passive participle ἠτιμωμένον ('held in dishonor / worthless') describes the despised goods; the irony is sharp — Saul reserves the ban for the worthless and exempts the valuable, exactly reversing the obedience required.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining two participles)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξουδενωμένονworthless / despisedPerf Pass Ptcp Acc Sg Neut · ἐξουδενόωattributive participle (modifying ἔργον, coordinate with ἠτιμωμένον)→ verbal action or stateἐξουδενόω: 'set at naught / despise / count as nothing'; the perfect passive participle pairs with ἠτιμωμένον; significantly, this same verb returns in vv. 23 and 26 (ἐξουδένωσας … ἐξουδενώσει σε) — Saul 'despised' (worthless-ed) the word of the LORD, and so the LORD will 'despise' him: he treated as worthless exactly what he should have valued.
ἐξωλέθρευσανthey utterly destroyedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐξολεθρεύωmain verb (destruction of the worthless)→ verbal action or stateἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly'; the plural subject ('they', Saul and the people) carried out the ban — but only on the worthless; their ἐξολέθρευσις was real yet selective, which is no obedience at all.
10

καὶ ἐγενήθη ῥῆμα κυρίου πρὸς Σαμουηλ λέγων

And a word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying:

Prophetic word-event formula (introducing the divine reaction)καὶ ἐγενήθη ῥῆμα κυρίου
The classic prophetic formula ἐγενήθη ῥῆμα κυρίου πρός ('the word of the LORD came to') marks a new divine intervention. The masculine participle λέγων, agreeing loosely with the implied speaker rather than the neuter ῥῆμα, is a standard Hebraism (= לֵאמֹר) introducing the quotation.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγενήθηcame / happenedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (word-event formula)→ verbal action or stateγίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθη): 'become / come to be / happen'; in the formula ἐγενήθη ῥῆμα κυρίου ('the word of the LORD came'), rendering וַיְהִי דְּבַר־יהוה, the standard prophetic introduction to a revelatory oracle.
ῥῆμαwordNominativesubject (the divine word)→ participant prominenceῥῆμα: 'word / saying / matter'; renders דָּבָר; here the revelatory word that comes to the prophet; τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου becomes a leitmotif — the word Saul 'despised' (vv. 23, 26).
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source (the word's divine origin)→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה; the genitive marks the word as YHWH's own self-disclosure to Samuel.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (recipient of the word)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (recipient of the word).
ΣαμουηλSamuelobject of πρός (indeclinable recipient)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; the prophet to whom the word of rejection is now revealed.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λέγωparticiple introducing direct speech (Hebraism)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: the participle λέγων ('saying') renders Hebrew לֵאמֹר, the fixed marker introducing direct discourse; its masculine form (despite the neuter ῥῆμα) reflects the underlying Hebrew idiom and points to YHWH as the real speaker.
11

παρακέκλημαι ὅτι ἐβασίλευσα τὸν Σαουλ εἰς βασιλέα ὅτι ἀπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ ὄπισθέν μου καὶ τοὺς λόγους μου οὐκ ἐτήρησεν καὶ ἠθύμησεν Σαμουηλ καὶ ἐβόησεν πρὸς κύριον ὅλην τὴν νύκτα

'I am moved to regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not kept my words.' And Samuel was grieved and cried out to the LORD all the night.

Divine self-disclosure of regret + narrative responseπαρακέκλημαι
The oracle opens with the theologically loaded perfect παρακέκλημαι ('I have changed my mind / am moved to regret'), the divine-regret theme that bookends the chapter (cf. μετεμελήθη, v. 35) and stands in tension with v. 29's denial. Two ὅτι-clauses give the cause: the kingship was a 'regretted' act because Saul has turned away (ἀπέστρεψεν) and not kept the divine words (τοὺς λόγους μου οὐκ ἐτήρησεν). Samuel responds with grief and an all-night cry.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
παρακέκλημαιI am moved to regret / have changed my mindPerf Mid/Pass Indic 1 Sg · παρακαλέωmain verb (divine self-disclosure)→ verbal action or stateπαρακαλέω: usually 'call alongside / comfort / exhort', but here in the rarer LXX sense 'be moved to regret / repent / change one's mind' (rendering נִחַם, Niphal 'relent / be sorry'); the perfect παρακέκλημαι expresses YHWH's present, settled grief over having made Saul king; this divine-regret theme frames the chapter (cf. μετεμελήθη, v. 35) and is held in deliberate tension with v. 29's οὐ … μετανοήσει.
ὅτιthatconjunction (content/causal clause with παρακέκλημαι)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that / because'; here introducing the object/ground of the regret — the making of Saul king.
ἐβασίλευσαI made king / enthronedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · βασιλεύωverb of the ὅτι-clause (the regretted act)→ verbal action or stateβασιλεύω: intransitive 'be king / reign', but here causative/transitive 'make king / enthrone' (rendering the Hiphil of מָלַךְ); the same form recurs at v. 35 (ἐβασίλευσεν), forming the inclusio of divine regret over Saul's enthronement.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Σαουλ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαουλSauldirect object of ἐβασίλευσα (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
εἰςas / to bepreposition + accusative (predicative: 'as king')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: predicative Hebraism ('to be / as'), echoing v. 1 (χρῖσαι εἰς βασιλέα).
βασιλέαkingAccusativepredicate accusative (object complement)→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; the office YHWH regrets having conferred — the same office withdrawn in vv. 23, 26.
ὅτιbecauseconjunction (causal clause: the reason for regret)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: here clearly causal ('because'), giving the ground of the regret — Saul's defection.
ἀπέστρεψενturned back / turned awayAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωverb of the causal clause (Saul's defection)→ verbal action or stateἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / turn away'; renders שׁוּב; with ἀπὸ ὄπισθέν μου ('from following me') it depicts apostasy — Saul has ceased to follow YHWH; the verb returns at v. 29 (οὐκ ἀποστρέψει) of YHWH's own irreversibility.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation, with ὄπισθεν)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: with the adverb ὄπισθεν forms the idiom 'from following after'.
ὄπισθένbehind / afteradverb (with ἀπό and μου: 'from after me')→ clausal contributionὄπισθεν: 'behind / after'; the phrase ἀπὸ ὄπισθέν μου ('from after me / from following me') renders מֵאַחֲרַי, the idiom for ceasing to follow YHWH as a loyal servant or soldier follows his lord.
μουme / myGenitivegenitive (with ὄπισθεν: 'after me')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): the divine 'me'; Saul has turned from following YHWH himself.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (second ground of regret)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with λόγους)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγουςwordsAccusativedirect object of ἐτήρησεν (fronted for emphasis)→ object specificationλόγος (acc. pl. λόγους): 'word / command'; renders דָּבָר; 'my words' = YHWH's commands (the ḥērem order); their non-keeping is the substance of the defection, fronted before the verb for emphasis.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with λόγους: 'my words')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive 'my'; the words are YHWH's own commands.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἐτήρησεν)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐτήρησενkeptAor Act Indic 3 Sg · τηρέωverb of the causal clause (Saul's failure to obey)→ verbal action or stateτηρέω: 'keep / guard / observe'; renders שָׁמַר; 'did not keep my words' is the precise charge — disobedience to the divine command, the core indictment unfolded in vv. 18–23.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (shift to Samuel's response)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἠθύμησενwas grieved / distressedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀθυμέωmain verb (Samuel's emotional response)→ verbal action or stateἀθυμέω: 'be disheartened / grieved / dispirited'; renders חָרָה (be angry/grieved); Samuel's distress at the rejection of Saul shows his personal investment in the king, anticipating his lifelong mourning (v. 35).
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἠθύμησεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐβόησενcried outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · βοάωmain verb (Samuel's intercessory cry)→ verbal action or stateβοάω: 'cry out / call aloud'; renders זָעַק / קָרָא; Samuel's all-night cry to YHWH is intercession or lament over Saul's downfall, an act of prophetic grief that frames his confrontation in the morning.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of the cry)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of the cry).
κύριονthe LORDAccusativeobject of πρός (the one cried to)→ object specificationκύριος (acc. κύριον): rendering of יהוה; the addressee of Samuel's lament; the divine name in the accusative as the goal of the prophet's nocturnal cry.
ὅληνwhole / allAccusativeadjective (modifying νύκτα: 'the whole night')→ object specificationὅλος: 'whole / entire'; ὅλην τὴν νύκτα (accusative of duration, 'all night long') stresses the intensity of Samuel's grief-laden intercession.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with νύκτα)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νύκταnightAccusativeaccusative of duration ('all the night')→ object specificationνύξ (acc. νύκτα): 'night'; the accusative of extent of time; 'the night' in which YHWH spoke and Samuel cried, recalled at v. 16 (τὴν νύκτα).
12

καὶ ὤρθρισεν Σαμουηλ καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἀπάντησιν Ισραηλ πρωί καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Σαμουηλ λέγοντες ἥκει Σαουλ εἰς Κάρμηλον καὶ ἀνέστακεν αὐτῷ χεῖρα καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν τὸ ἅρμα καὶ κατέβη εἰς Γαλγαλα πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἀνέφερεν ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ κυρίῳ τὰ πρῶτα τῶν σκύλων ὧν ἤνεγκεν ἐξ Αμαληκ

And Samuel rose early and went to meet Israel in the morning; and it was reported to Samuel, saying, 'Saul has come to Karmel and set up a monument for himself, and turned the chariot and gone down to Galgala to Saul'; and behold, he was offering up a whole burnt offering to the LORD, the firstfruits of the spoils which he brought from Amalek.

Narrative transition to the morning confrontationκαὶ ὤρθρισεν Σαμουηλ
After the night-cry, Samuel rises early (ὤρθρισεν) to meet Saul. The report depicts Saul's self-glorification (setting up a 'hand'/monument at Karmel) and his cultic activity at Gilgal. The deictic καὶ ἰδού ('and behold') brings the reader face to face with the scene Samuel is about to confront: Saul offering sacrifice from the very spoil he was forbidden to keep — sacrifice built on disobedience, the precise target of the oracle in vv. 22–23.
Word-by-word analysis· 47 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὤρθρισενrose earlyAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὀρθρίζωmain verb (Samuel's early rising)→ verbal action or stateὀρθρίζω: 'rise early / do at dawn'; renders the Hiphil of שָׁכַם; the early start conveys Samuel's urgency to confront Saul after the night of prayer.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Samuel's departure to meet Saul)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. pass. ἐπορεύθη): 'go / travel'; the deponent aorist passive in active sense; Samuel sets out to intercept Israel/Saul.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (purpose: 'to meet')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: in the idiom εἰς ἀπάντησιν ('to meet / to a meeting with'), a Hebraism (לִקְרַאת).
ἀπάντησινmeetingAccusativeaccusative (idiomatic purpose: 'to meet Israel')→ object specificationἀπάντησις: 'meeting / encounter'; εἰς ἀπάντησιν renders לִקְרַאת ('to meet'); the cognate of ἀπήντησεν (v. 2), framing the encounter that will expose Saul.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'to meet Israel')→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; here representing Saul and his army.
πρωίin the morningtemporal adverb→ clausal contributionπρωί: 'early / in the morning'; renders בַּבֹּקֶר; reinforces ὤρθρισεν, fixing the confrontation at dawn.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπηγγέληit was reportedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (impersonal passive: the report)→ verbal action or stateἀπαγγέλλω (aor. pass. ἀπηγγέλη): 'report / announce'; renders נָגַד (Hophal); the impersonal passive ('it was reported') brings news of Saul's movements to Samuel.
τῷtoDativearticle (inflecting Σαμουηλ as dative)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαμουηλSamuelindirect object (dative via τῷ: 'to Samuel')→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable, made dative by the article τῷ.
λέγοντεςsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · λέγωparticiple introducing the report (Hebraism, ad sensum plural)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: the participle λέγοντες ('saying'), masculine plural by sense (the reporters), renders לֵאמֹר; introduces the content of the report despite the singular ἀπηγγέλη — a common LXX constructio ad sensum.
ἥκειhas comePres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἥκωverb of the report (Saul's arrival)→ verbal action or stateἥκω: 'have come / be present'; the present has a perfect sense ('has arrived and is here'); reports Saul's coming to Karmel.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of ἥκει (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal of motion)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (goal of motion).
ΚάρμηλονKarmelAccusativeaccusative of goal (place reached)→ object specificationΚάρμηλος (acc. Κάρμηλον): rendering Hebrew כַּרְמֶל (Carmel, a town in Judah, not the northern mountain); declinable; the site where Saul erected his monument of self-honor.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνέστακενhas set up / erectedPerf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιverb of the report (Saul's monument)→ verbal action or stateἀνίστημι: meaning 'has set up'; it carries the action, process, or state of the clause; here it functions as verb of the report (Saul's monument).
αὐτῷfor himselfDativedative of advantage (reflexive: 'for himself')→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): here reflexive 'for himself', underscoring the self-aggrandizing motive of the monument.
χεῖραhand / monumentAccusativedirect object of ἀνέστακεν (idiomatic: 'a monument')→ object specificationχεῖρα: meaning 'hand'; it serves as direct object of ἀνέστακεν (idiomatic: 'a monument').
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπέστρεψενturnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιστρέφωverb of the report (Saul's movement)→ verbal action or stateἐπιστρέφω: 'turn around / turn back'; here Saul 'turned the chariot' and proceeded; describes his continued movement down to Gilgal.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ἅρμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἅρμαchariotAccusativedirect object of ἐπέστρεψεν→ object specificationἅρμα: 'chariot'; renders מֶרְכָּבָה / רֶכֶב; Saul's chariot signals his royal pomp as he proceeds to Gilgal.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κατέβηwent downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταβαίνωverb of the report (descent to Gilgal)→ verbal action or stateκαταβαίνω: 'go down / descend'; renders יָרַד; geographically apt for the descent to Gilgal in the Jordan valley; the report ends by locating Saul at the sacrificial site.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (goal).
ΓαλγαλαGalgala / Gilgalaccusative of goal (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΓαλγαλα: rendering Hebrew גִּלְגָּל; here in an indeclinable form (contrast the inflected dative Γαλγαλοις, v. 4); the cultic site of Saul's sacrifice and his coming rejection.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (the goal of Samuel's approach)→ spatial or relational framingπρός: here within the report, locating Saul; the narrative then shifts to Samuel coming 'to Saul'.
ΣαουλSaulobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the deictic clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἰδοὺbeholddeictic particle (presentative)→ discourse linkage or contrastἰδού: 'behold / look'; renders הִנֵּה; the presentative particle dramatizes the scene, setting Saul's sacrificing before the reader's eyes just as Samuel approaches.
αὐτὸςhe himselfNominativesubject (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceαὐτός (nom. αὐτός): emphatic 'he himself' — Saul personally engaged in sacrifice, heightening the irony that the disobedient king is at worship.
ἀνέφερενwas offering upImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναφέρωmain verb (Saul's act of sacrifice, in progress)→ verbal action or stateἀναφέρω: 'bring up / offer up (a sacrifice)'; renders the Hiphil of עָלָה; the imperfect depicts the sacrifice in progress; offering the banned spoil to YHWH is the precise scandal addressed by the oracle of vv. 22–23 — sacrifice cannot atone for disobedience.
ὁλοκαύτωσινwhole burnt offeringAccusativedirect object of ἀνέφερεν→ object specificationὁλοκαύτωσις: 'whole burnt offering / holocaust'; renders עֹלָה; the offering wholly consumed on the altar; the noun anticipates ὁλοκαυτώματα at v. 22, where Samuel declares such offerings inferior to obedience.
τῷto theDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativeindirect object (recipient of the offering)→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the offering is directed to YHWH — making the disobedience all the more pointed, since it parades worship of the very God whose command was flouted.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with πρῶτα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρῶταfirst / firstfruitsAccusativesubstantival adjective (in apposition to ὁλοκαύτωσιν: 'the best/first')→ object specificationπρῶτος (n. pl. πρῶτα): 'first / foremost / best'; τὰ πρῶτα τῶν σκύλων ('the firstfruits/best of the spoil') — the choice plunder offered in sacrifice; the same phrase recurs at v. 21 in Saul's defense.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with σκύλων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκύλωνspoilsGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the spoils')→ relational specificationσκῦλον (gen. pl. σκύλων): 'spoil / plunder'; renders שָׁלָל; the war-booty that should have been under the ban; cf. v. 19 (ἐπὶ τὰ σκῦλα), v. 21 (τῶν σκύλων).
ὧνwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive by attraction, object of ἤνεγκεν)→ relational specificationὅς (gen. pl. ὧν): relative pronoun, genitive by attraction to its antecedent σκύλων; 'the spoils which he brought'.
ἤνεγκενbroughtAor Act Indic 3 Sg · φέρωverb of the relative clause (Saul's bringing of the spoil)→ verbal action or stateφέρω (aor. ἤνεγκεν): 'bring / carry'; renders בּוֹא (Hiphil); Saul brought the spoil from Amalek — booty he was forbidden to keep; cf. Saul's own ἤνεγκα at v. 15.
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source of the spoil)→ spatial or relational framingἐξ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source of the spoil).
ΑμαληκAmalekobject of ἐξ (indeclinable: 'from Amalek')→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable; the source of the banned spoil now sacrilegiously offered in worship.
13

καὶ παρεγένετο Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σαουλ εὐλογητὸς σὺ τῷ κυρίῳ ἔστησα πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησεν κύριος

And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, 'Blessed are you to the LORD; I have established all that the LORD spoke.'

Onset of the confrontation: Saul's false claim of obedienceκαὶ παρεγένετο Σαμουηλ
The dramatic meeting opens with Saul's preemptive self-justification. He greets Samuel with a blessing-formula and the bold assertion ἔστησα πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησεν κύριος ('I have carried out all that the LORD spoke') — a claim the bleating flocks (v. 14) instantly refute. The irony is acute: Saul declares full obedience while standing amid the evidence of his disobedience.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρεγένετοcame / arrivedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · παραγίνομαιmain verb (Samuel's arrival)→ verbal action or stateπαραγίνομαι: 'come / arrive / be present'; renders בּוֹא; marks Samuel's arrival at the scene of confrontation.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
ΣαουλSaulobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Saul's greeting)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Saul's preemptive self-justifying greeting.
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object (= Samuel)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): the recipient of Saul's words, Samuel.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; named as the speaker.
εὐλογητὸςblessedNominativepredicate adjective (blessing-formula: 'blessed are you')→ participant prominenceεὐλογητός: 'blessed / worthy of blessing'; renders בָּרוּךְ; the greeting εὐλογητὸς σὺ τῷ κυρίῳ ('may you be blessed to/by the LORD') is a pious salutation, ironic on the lips of one who has just disobeyed the LORD.
σὺyouNominativesubject of the blessing-formula (predicate nominative construction)→ participant referenceσύ: 'you'; the addressee of Saul's blessing, Samuel.
τῷto theDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativedative of agent/reference (blessed 'to/by the LORD')→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the dative in the blessing-formula ('blessed by/before the LORD'); divine, not human, despite being spoken by Saul.
ἔστησαI have established / carried outAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἵστημιmain verb (Saul's false claim of obedience)→ verbal action or stateἵστημι: 'set up / establish / cause to stand'; here 'I have carried out / kept' (rendering הֵקִים, Hiphil of קוּם, 'fulfill / confirm a command'); Saul's claim ἔστησα πάντα ('I have performed everything') is the boast immediately exposed as false by the bleating of the spared flocks.
πάνταallAccusativedirect object of ἔστησα (with the relative clause)→ object specificationπᾶς (acc. n. pl. πάντα): 'all'; the very totality (πάντα) Saul claims to have fulfilled is what he failed to do — he kept the best and destroyed only the worst (v. 9).
ὅσαwhatever / all thatAccusativerelative pronoun (correlative: 'as much as / all that')→ participant referenceὅσος (acc. n. pl. ὅσα): 'as much/many as'; the correlative relative πάντα ὅσα ('all that') stresses comprehensiveness — precisely the claim that is false.
ἐλάλησενspokeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωverb of the relative clause (the LORD's command)→ verbal action or stateλαλέω: 'speak'; renders דִּבֶּר; 'all that the LORD spoke' refers to the ḥērem command of v. 3; the same verb recurs at vv. 16 (ἐλάλησεν κύριος).
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐλάλησεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the author of the command Saul claims to have kept.
14

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ καὶ τίς ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ποιμνίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ὠσίν μου καὶ φωνὴ τῶν βοῶν ὧν ἐγὼ ἀκούω

And Samuel said, 'And what is this sound of the flock in my ears, and the sound of the oxen which I hear?'

Prophetic rebuttal: the bleating exposes the lieκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ
Samuel's devastating question needs no accusation: the very sound (φωνή) of the spared flocks and oxen contradicts Saul's claim of total obedience. The word-play on φωνή is pointed — Saul failed to heed the φωνή of the LORD (vv. 1, 19), and now the φωνή of the animals testifies against him.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Samuel's exposing question.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
καὶand / thenconjunction (introducing the rhetorical question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here opening the pointed question ('and what then…?'), juxtaposing Saul's claim with the contradicting evidence.
τίςwhatNominativeinterrogative pronoun (predicate of the question)→ participant referenceτίς: interrogative 'who / what'; here 'what (is)…?'; introduces the rhetorical question that needs no answer because the sound itself is the answer.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with φωνή)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνὴsound / voiceNominativesubject of the verbless question ('what is this sound?')→ participant prominenceφωνή: 'sound / voice'; renders קוֹל; the same word used of 'the voice of the LORD' (vv. 1, 19, 22) and 'the voice of the people' (vv. 20, 24) — here the bleating of the flocks is a φωνή that convicts Saul of not heeding the divine φωνή.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with ποιμνίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ποιμνίουflockGenitivegenitive of source (the sound 'of the flock')→ relational specificationποίμνιον: 'flock'; renders צֹאן; the very flocks Saul spared (v. 9), whose bleating betrays him.
τούτουthisGenitivedemonstrative pronoun (modifying ποιμνίου: 'this flock')→ relational specificationοὗτος (gen. τούτου): 'this'; the deictic 'this flock' points to the audible, present evidence — Samuel can hear it now.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with ὠσίν)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὠσίνearsDativedative of place ('in my ears')→ sphere or referenceοὖς (dat. pl. ὠσίν): 'ear'; 'in my ears' (ἐν τοῖς ὠσίν μου) stresses Samuel's direct, sensory perception of the evidence — Saul's disobedience is literally audible.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with ὠσίν: 'my ears')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive 'my'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φωνὴsoundNominativesubject (second clause: 'and the sound of the oxen')→ participant prominenceφωνή: the repeated 'sound' extends the indictment to the cattle as well as the flocks.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with βοῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βοῶνoxenGenitivegenitive of source ('sound of the oxen')→ relational specificationβοῦς (gen. pl. βοῶν): 'ox / cattle'; renders בָּקָר; corresponds to the spared βουκόλια ('herds') of v. 9; the lowing of cattle adds to the auditory proof.
ὧνwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive object of ἀκούω)→ relational specificationὅς (gen. pl. ὧν): relative pronoun; the genitive is governed by ἀκούω ('which I hear'), which takes the genitive of the thing heard.
ἐγὼINominativesubject of ἀκούω (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic 'I' — 'which I myself hear'; Samuel's personal testimony makes denial impossible.
ἀκούωhearPres Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀκούωverb of the relative clause (Samuel's hearing)→ verbal action or stateἀκούω: 'hear'; with the genitive of the thing heard; the same verb that frames obedience throughout the chapter (ἄκουε, v. 1; οὐκ ἤκουσας, v. 19) — Samuel hears the flocks that prove Saul did not 'hear' the LORD.
15

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ ἐξ Αμαληκ ἤνεγκα αὐτά ἃ περιεποιήσατο ὁ λαός τὰ κράτιστα τοῦ ποιμνίου καὶ τῶν βοῶν ὅπως τυθῇ τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ σου καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐξωλέθρευσα

And Saul said, 'From Amalek I brought them, which the people spared — the best of the flock and of the oxen — so that they might be sacrificed to the LORD your God; and the rest I utterly destroyed.'

Saul's defense: blame-shifting and cultic pretextκαὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
Saul's reply has three moves of evasion: he shifts the agency to 'the people' (ὁ λαός), repeating the incriminating verb περιεποιήσατο (cf. v. 9); he supplies a pious motive (ὅπως τυθῇ τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ σου, 'to sacrifice to the LORD your God'); and he claims partial obedience (τὰ λοιπὰ ἐξωλέθρευσα, 'the rest I destroyed'). The telling 'your God' (θεῷ σου) subtly distances Saul from the LORD he disobeyed.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Saul's defensive reply.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἐξfrompreposition + genitive (source, fronted for emphasis)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ / ἐξ: 'from'; the fronted ἐξ Αμαληκ ('from Amalek') emphasizes the origin of the animals, perhaps to stress their suitability as plunder devoted to a good end.
ΑμαληκAmalekobject of ἐξ (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable.
ἤνεγκαI broughtAor Act Indic 1 Sg · φέρωmain verb (Saul's admission of bringing the spoil)→ verbal action or stateφέρω (aor. ἤνεγκα): 'bring / carry'; Saul admits to bringing the animals (cf. ἤνεγκεν, v. 12) but immediately reframes the act as pious provision rather than disobedience.
αὐτάthemAccusativedirect object of ἤνεγκα (= the animals)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. n. pl. αὐτά): refers to the spared livestock.
ἃwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of περιεποιήσατο)→ participant referenceὅς (acc. n. pl. ἅ): relative pronoun introducing the blame-shifting clause.
περιεποιήσατοsparedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · περιποιέωverb of the relative clause (the people's sparing)→ verbal action or stateπεριποιέω (mid.): 'keep alive / spare'; Saul attributes the forbidden περιποίησις (cf. v. 9, where he himself shared in it) to 'the people' alone — the verbal echo unmasks the deflection.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with λαός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαόςpeopleNominativesubject of περιεποιήσατο (the scapegoat)→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; Saul makes 'the people' the agent, although v. 9 named Saul first; the blame-shift recurs at vv. 21, 24.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with κράτιστα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κράτισταbest / choicestAccusativesubstantival superlative (in apposition to αὐτά: 'the best')→ object specificationκράτιστος (n. pl. κράτιστα): 'strongest / best / choicest'; superlative of κρατύς; τὰ κράτιστα ('the best') corresponds to τὰ ἀγαθά in v. 9 — Saul candidly admits it was the choicest that was kept, the very thing the ban forbade.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with ποιμνίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ποιμνίουflockGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the flock')→ relational specificationποίμνιον: 'flock'; the spared sheep, echoing vv. 9, 14.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with βοῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βοῶνoxenGenitivepartitive genitive (best 'of the oxen')→ relational specificationβοῦς (gen. pl. βοῶν): 'ox / cattle'; the spared herds, as in v. 14.
ὅπωςso thatconjunction (purpose clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅπως: 'in order that / so that'; introduces the pious pretext — the animals were kept 'to be sacrificed'; the purpose-clause is Saul's theological cover for disobedience, the very logic Samuel demolishes in vv. 22–23.
τυθῇmight be sacrificedAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · θύωverb of purpose clause (with ὅπως)→ verbal action or stateθύω (aor. pass. subj. τυθῇ): 'sacrifice / slay (for offering)'; renders זָבַח; the cultic verb that Saul invokes as justification — but Samuel will declare ἀκοή ('obedience') better than θυσία ('sacrifice', v. 22).
τῷto theDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativeindirect object (recipient of the intended sacrifice)→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the supposed recipient of the offering; divine.
θεῷGodDativedative in apposition to κυρίῳ ('the LORD God')→ sphere or referenceθεός (dat. θεῷ): 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; in apposition with κυρίῳ; the phrase τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ σου ('the LORD your God').
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your God')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): the telling possessive 'your' — Saul says 'the LORD your God' (to Samuel) rather than 'my God', subtly distancing himself from the deity whose command he flouted.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (claim of partial obedience)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with λοιπά)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λοιπὰrest / remainderAccusativesubstantival adjective (direct object: 'the rest')→ object specificationλοιπός (n. pl. λοιπά): 'remaining / rest'; τὰ λοιπά ('the rest') — Saul claims he destroyed everything except the best; partial obedience that the chapter declares to be no obedience at all.
ἐξωλέθρευσαI utterly destroyedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐξολεθρεύωmain verb (Saul's claim of destroying the rest)→ verbal action or stateἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly'; the ban-verb (v. 3); Saul applies it to 'the rest' but exempts the best — a self-confessed selective ḥērem that is precisely the disobedience indicted.
16

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ ἄνες καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ σοι ἃ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρός με τὴν νύκτα καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ λάλησον

And Samuel said to Saul, 'Hold off, and I will tell you what the LORD spoke to me this night.' And he said to him, 'Speak.'

Transition to the oracle: Samuel cuts off the excusesκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ
Samuel halts Saul's self-defense with the curt ἄνες ('stop / let it go') and announces he will report the night-word (cf. v. 11). Saul's single word λάλησον ('speak') yields the floor to the prophetic indictment that builds through vv. 17–23.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Samuel's interruption.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΣαουλSaulobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἄνεςstop / hold offAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀνίημιmain verb (imperative cutting off Saul's defense)→ verbal action or stateἀνίημι: 'let go / loosen / leave off'; the imperative ἄνες ('stop! / enough!') abruptly silences Saul's stream of excuses so that the divine word can be delivered.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπαγγελῶI will tell / reportFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (Samuel's announcement of the night-word)→ verbal action or stateἀπαγγέλλω: 'report / announce / declare'; renders נָגַד; Samuel will now relay the very oracle of v. 11 to Saul.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of ἀπαγγελῶ→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; the recipient of the report, Saul.
ἃwhatAccusativerelative pronoun (object of both ἀπαγγελῶ and ἐλάλησεν)→ participant referenceὅς (acc. n. pl. ἅ): relative 'the things which'; the content of the night-word.
ἐλάλησενspokeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωverb of the relative clause (the LORD's night-speech)→ verbal action or stateλαλέω: 'speak'; renders דִּבֶּר; refers to YHWH's word in the night (v. 11).
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐλάλησεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the divine speaker of the night-oracle.
πρόςtopreposition + accusative (recipient of the speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρός: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (recipient of the speech).
μεmeAccusativeobject of πρός (= Samuel)→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. με): 'me'; Samuel as the recipient of the night-word.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with νύκτα)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νύκταnightAccusativeaccusative of time ('this/that night')→ object specificationνύξ (acc. νύκτα): 'night'; accusative of time; τὴν νύκτα ('the night / this night') points back to the all-night episode of v. 11.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Saul's reply)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Saul's brief reply)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Saul's single-word assent.
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object (= Samuel)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): 'to him'; Saul addresses Samuel.
λάλησονspeakAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (Saul's imperative yielding the floor)→ verbal action or stateλαλέω (aor. impv. λάλησον): 'speak'; Saul's terse 'Speak' invites the oracle, unwittingly opening the way to his own sentence of rejection.
17

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ οὐχὶ μικρὸς σὺ εἶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἡγούμενος σκήπτρου φυλῆς Ισραηλ καὶ ἔχρισέν σε κύριος εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ

And Samuel said to Saul, 'Were you not small in his sight, yet a leader of the scepter of a tribe of Israel? And the LORD anointed you as king over Israel.'

The indictment begins: reminder of grace before chargeκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ
Samuel grounds the indictment in grace: though Saul was once 'small in his own eyes' (cf. 1 Kgdms 9:21), YHWH exalted him to leadership and anointed him king. The rhetorical question οὐχί ('were you not…?') expects assent. By recalling the unmerited elevation, Samuel makes the disobedience an act of ingratitude toward divine favor.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces the prophetic indictment.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΣαουλSaulobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
οὐχὶnot / were you notinterrogative negative (expecting affirmative answer)→ clausal contributionοὐχί: emphatic form of οὐ; introducing a question expecting the answer 'yes' ('were you not…?'); recalls Saul's former lowliness as the foil to his present pride.
μικρὸςsmall / insignificantNominativepredicate adjective (with εἶ: 'small are you')→ participant prominenceμικρός: 'small / little / insignificant'; renders קָטֹן; alludes to Saul's self-deprecation at his call (1 Kgdms 9:21, 'am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest tribe?'); his former smallness magnifies the grace of his elevation.
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceσύ: emphatic 'you'; the focus is on Saul personally.
εἶare / werePres Act Indic 2 Sg · εἰμίcopula (linking μικρός to σύ)→ verbal action or stateεἰμί: 'be'; the copula of the predicate-adjective construction; though present in form, it carries the past sense of Saul's former lowliness.
ἐνώπιονbefore / in the sight ofpreposition + genitive (perspective)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: 'before / in the sight of'; Hebraism rendering בְּעֵינֵי / לִפְנֵי; 'in his (own/the LORD's) sight' — the perspective from which Saul was small.
αὐτοῦhis / himGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): the referent (Saul's own eyes, or the LORD's) before whom Saul was 'small'; the ambiguity underscores the disproportion between Saul's lowly origin and his exalted office.
ἡγούμενοςleader / rulerPres Mid Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ἡγέομαιsubstantival participle (predicate: 'a leader')→ verbal action or stateἡγέομαι: 'lead / rule / command'; the substantival participle ἡγούμενος ('leader / chief') renders רֹאשׁ / נָגִיד; despite his smallness, Saul became head over a tribe — the elevation that his disobedience betrays.
σκήπτρουscepter / tribeGenitivegenitive (with ἡγούμενος: 'leader of the scepter')→ relational specificationσκῆπτρον: 'scepter / staff', and by metonymy 'tribe' (as the Hebrew שֵׁבֶט means both 'rod' and 'tribe'); ἡγούμενος σκήπτρου φυλῆς Ισραηλ ('leader of the scepter of a tribe of Israel') is a Hebraizing double expression for tribal headship.
φυλῆςtribeGenitivegenitive (in apposition/relation to σκήπτρου: 'of a tribe')→ relational specificationφυλή: 'tribe / clan'; renders שֵׁבֶט / מַטֶּה; clarifies σκῆπτρον as the tribal unit; Saul, head of a tribe, was then raised to kingship over all Israel.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'tribe of Israel')→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔχρισένanointedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · χρίωmain verb (the LORD's anointing of Saul)→ verbal action or stateχρίω: 'anoint'; renders מָשַׁח; recalls v. 1 (χρῖσαι) — the same anointing whose grace Saul now spurns; the kingship was a gift conferred, and so revocable by the giver.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἔχρισεν→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): 'you'; the object of the divine anointing.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἔχρισεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the agent of Saul's anointing — the same LORD who now rejects him.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicative: 'as king')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: predicative Hebraism ('to be / as'), as in vv. 1, 11.
βασιλέαkingAccusativepredicate accusative (object complement)→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; the office conferred by anointing, echoing v. 1 verbatim (εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ).
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (authority)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'over' (sphere of rule), rendering עַל.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐπί (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the recurring phrase βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ frames the rise (v. 1) and fall (vv. 23, 26) of Saul.
18

καὶ ἀπέστειλέν σε κύριος ἐν ὁδῷ καὶ εἶπέν σοι πορεύθητι καὶ ἐξολέθρευσον τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας εἰς ἐμέ τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ πολεμήσεις αὐτούς ἕως συντελέσῃς αὐτούς

'And the LORD sent you on a way and said to you, "Go and utterly destroy the sinners against me, Amalek, and make war on them until you finish them off."'

Recollection of the explicit command (the standard against which Saul is measured)καὶ ἀπέστειλέν σε κύριος
Samuel quotes the divine commission, embedding YHWH's first-person speech (εἰς ἐμέ, 'against me'). The command is unambiguous: go, utterly destroy (ἐξολέθρευσον), make war until total extermination (συντελέσῃς). By restating the command so precisely, Samuel removes any possibility of misunderstanding — Saul's partial obedience was deliberate.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (continuing the indictment)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστειλένsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (the LORD's commissioning of Saul)→ verbal action or stateἀποστέλλω: 'send (with a commission)'; renders שָׁלַח; the same verb used of Samuel's own sending (v. 1); Saul, too, was 'sent' on a clear errand he failed to complete; cf. v. 20 (ἀπέστειλέν με).
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλεν→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): 'you'; Saul, the one commissioned.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἀπέστειλεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the commissioning authority.
ἐνon / inpreposition + dative (the way of mission)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'on (a way)'; ἐν ὁδῷ ('on a journey / mission').
ὁδῷway / journeyDativedative of place/manner ('on a way')→ sphere or referenceὁδός: 'way / road / journey'; renders דֶּרֶךְ; the 'way' of the divine commission, picked up in Saul's defense (v. 20, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἀπέστειλέν με).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπένsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (introducing the embedded command)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces the verbatim quotation of YHWH's command to Saul.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of εἶπεν→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; Saul as recipient of the command.
πορεύθητιgoAor Pass Impv 2 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb of the embedded command (imperative)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. pass. impv. πορεύθητι): 'go / proceed'; renders הָלַךְ; the embedded command echoes the πορεύου of v. 3; Saul did go (v. 20, ἐπορεύθην), but did not complete the errand.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking imperatives)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξολέθρευσονutterly destroyAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐξολεθρεύωmain verb of the embedded command (imperative)→ verbal action or stateἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly'; the ban-verb of v. 3, now in the imperative within the quoted command; this is the explicit order Saul failed to keep.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with the participle ἁμαρτάνοντας)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἁμαρτάνονταςthe sinners / those who sinPres Act Ptcp Acc Pl Masc · ἁμαρτάνωsubstantival participle (direct object: 'the sinners')→ verbal action or stateἁμαρτάνω: 'sin / do wrong'; the substantival participle τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας εἰς ἐμέ ('those who sin against me') characterizes the Amalekites as offenders against YHWH himself — the war is divine justice, not mere conquest.
εἰςagainstpreposition + accusative (object of the offense)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: here 'against' (the one wronged); ἁμαρτάνειν εἰς = 'to sin against'.
ἐμέmeAccusativeobject of εἰς (= the LORD, embedded first person)→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. ἐμέ): the emphatic 'me' is YHWH speaking within the quoted command — Amalek's sin is ultimately against God, grounding the severity of the ban.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αμαληκ as accusative, in apposition)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμαληκAmalekaccusative in apposition to τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable; identifies 'the sinners against me' specifically as Amalek.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πολεμήσειςyou shall make warFut Act Indic 2 Sg · πολεμέωmain verb (future with imperatival force, within the command)→ verbal action or stateπολεμέω: 'make war / fight'; renders לָחַם (Niphal); the future-as-command continues the embedded order; Saul was to wage total war to the point of extermination.
αὐτούςthemAccusativedirect object of πολεμήσεις (= the Amalekites)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. αὐτούς): 'them'; the Amalekites as the object of the war.
ἕωςuntilconjunction (introducing temporal/result clause with subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἕως: 'until'; here a conjunction with the subjunctive marking the goal of the war — total completion.
συντελέσῃςyou finish off / completeAor Act Subj 2 Sg · συντελέωverb of the ἕως-clause (the required completion)→ verbal action or stateσυντελέω: 'complete / finish / make an end of'; renders כָּלָה; 'until you make an end of them' specifies the full extent of the ban — the very completion Saul withheld by sparing Agag and the spoil.
αὐτούςthemAccusativedirect object of συντελέσῃς→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. αὐτούς): 'them'; the Amalekites whose destruction was to be total.
19

καὶ ἵνα τί οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου ἀλλ᾿ ὥρμησας τοῦ θέσθαι ἐπὶ τὰ σκῦλα καὶ ἐποίησας τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον κυρίου

'And why did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoils and did the evil thing before the LORD?'

The direct accusation (climax of the indictment)καὶ ἵνα τί
The accusing question ἵνα τί ('why?') drives home the charge: Saul did not 'hear the voice of the LORD' (οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου), the exact opposite of the command in v. 1 (ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου). Instead he 'rushed upon the spoils' (ὥρμησας … ἐπὶ τὰ σκῦλα) and 'did the evil in the sight of the LORD' — the formulaic verdict of covenant disobedience.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the accusing question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἵναwhyinterrogative (with τί: 'why? / for what reason?')→ clausal contributionἵνα: in the idiom ἵνα τί ('why? / to what end?'), rendering לָמָּה; the question of motive sharpens the accusation — there can be no acceptable reason for the disobedience.
τίwhat / whyinterrogative pronoun (with ἵνα: 'why')→ participant referenceτίς (n. τί): interrogative; together with ἵνα forms the causal question 'why?'.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἤκουσας)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: negates Saul's hearing — the heart of the charge.
ἤκουσαςyou heard / obeyedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (the central accusation)→ verbal action or stateἀκούω: 'hear / obey'; renders שָׁמַע; οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου ('you did not obey the voice of the LORD') is the exact negation of the command ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου (v. 1) — the failure to 'hear' is Saul's defining sin.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φωνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ἤκουσας (thing heard)→ relational specificationφωνή: 'voice'; renders קוֹל; 'the voice of the LORD' — the divine command Saul disregarded, in contrast to 'the voice of the people' he heeded (v. 20).
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source (possessive: 'voice of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה.
ἀλλ᾿butstrong adversative (elided before vowel)→ clausal contributionἀλλά (elided ἀλλ᾿): 'but / rather'; the strong adversative contrasts the failure to obey with the eager pursuit of plunder.
ὥρμησαςyou rushed / flewAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ὁρμάωmain verb (Saul's eager pursuit of spoil)→ verbal action or stateὁρμάω: 'rush / set out eagerly / dart'; renders עִיט ('pounce / fly upon'); the vivid verb depicts Saul and the people 'swooping' greedily on the plunder — eagerness for spoil replacing eagerness to obey.
τοῦthe / toGenitivearticle (genitive, with the infinitive θέσθαι: 'so as to set')→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): the genitive article with the infinitive forms a complementary/epexegetical construction ('to set yourself upon').
θέσθαιto set / fall uponAor Mid Inf · τίθημιarticular infinitive (complement of ὥρμησας: 'rushed to set upon')→ verbal action or stateτίθημι (aor. mid. inf. θέσθαι): 'set / place'; the middle τοῦ θέσθαι ἐπὶ τὰ σκῦλα ('to set [oneself / one's hands] upon the spoils') depicts seizing the plunder; the articular infinitive expresses the goal toward which Saul rushed.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (object seized)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'upon / against'; marks the plunder as the object pounced upon.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with σκῦλα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκῦλαspoilsAccusativeobject of ἐπί (the plunder seized)→ object specificationσκῦλον (n. pl. σκῦλα): 'spoil / plunder'; renders שָׁלָל; the banned booty that Saul coveted; cf. vv. 12, 21.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐποίησαςyou didAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (the verdict of evildoing)→ verbal action or stateποιέω: 'do / make'; in the formula ἐποίησας τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον κυρίου ('you did the evil in the sight of the LORD'), the recurrent Deuteronomistic verdict of covenant disobedience (cf. Judg 2:11; 1 Kgdms passim).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with πονηρόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πονηρὸνevilAccusativesubstantival adjective (direct object: 'the evil')→ object specificationπονηρός (n. πονηρόν): 'evil / wicked'; renders רַע; τὸ πονηρόν ('the evil thing') is the standard Deuteronomistic designation of covenant-breaking sin; here Saul's disobedience is named evil before God.
ἐνώπιονbefore / in the sight ofpreposition + genitive (divine perspective)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: 'before / in the sight of'; Hebraism rendering בְּעֵינֵי; the evil is reckoned 'in the sight of the LORD' — judged by God's own assessment.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה; the divine judge before whom the deed is evil.
20

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ διὰ τὸ ἀκοῦσαί με τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθην ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἀπέστειλέν με κύριος καὶ ἤγαγον τὸν Αγαγ βασιλέα Αμαληκ καὶ τὸν Αμαληκ ἐξωλέθρευσα

And Saul said to Samuel, 'Because I obeyed the voice of the people; and I went on the way on which the LORD sent me, and I brought back Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I utterly destroyed.'

Saul's renewed defense (self-condemning admission)καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ
Saul's answer is self-condemning: in claiming διὰ τὸ ἀκοῦσαί με τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ λαοῦ ('because I obeyed the voice of the people') he confesses precisely the substitution Samuel charged — he heard the people's voice, not the LORD's (v. 19). He insists he 'went on the way' and 'destroyed Amalek', yet admits in the same breath that he 'brought' Agag back alive — obedience and disobedience side by side.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Saul's renewed self-defense.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΣαμουηλSamuelobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (causal, with articular infinitive)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + acc.: 'on account of / because'; with the articular infinitive (διὰ τὸ ἀκοῦσαι) forms a causal clause ('because I obeyed').
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with the articular infinitive ἀκοῦσαι)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀκοῦσαίobeying / to hearAor Act Inf · ἀκούωarticular infinitive (causal: 'because of my hearing')→ verbal action or stateἀκούω (aor. inf. ἀκοῦσαι): 'hear / obey'; Saul's διὰ τὸ ἀκοῦσαί με τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ λαοῦ ('because I heard the voice of the people') is self-incriminating — he obeyed the wrong voice, exactly the charge of v. 19.
μεI / meAccusativeaccusative subject of the articular infinitive→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. με): the accusative subject of ἀκοῦσαι in the διὰ τό + infinitive construction.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φωνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ἀκοῦσαι (thing heard)→ relational specificationφωνή: 'voice'; the fatal contrast with v. 19 — Saul heard 'the voice of the people' instead of 'the voice of the LORD'.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with λαοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive of source ('voice of the people')→ relational specificationλαός: 'people'; Saul again invokes the people as the cause, but here as the voice he obeyed — confessing misplaced obedience (cf. v. 24, ἐφοβήθην τὸν λαόν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπορεύθηνI wentAor Pass Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Saul's claim of having gone on the mission)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. pass. ἐπορεύθην): 'go / proceed'; Saul claims to have obeyed πορεύθητι (v. 18); he did go on the way, but failed to complete the ban — partial compliance presented as full obedience.
ἐνon / inpreposition + dative (the way traveled)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'on'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (the way traveled).
τῇtheDativearticle (with ὁδῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδῷwayDativedative of place ('on the way')→ sphere or referenceὁδός: 'way / road'; Saul echoes the ὁδῷ of v. 18, asserting he went on the commissioned 'way'.
ᾗon whichDativerelative pronoun (dative, modifying ὁδῷ)→ participant reference or interestὅς (dat. f. ᾗ): relative pronoun, dative by attraction to ὁδῷ; 'the way on which the LORD sent me'.
ἀπέστειλένsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωverb of the relative clause (the LORD's sending)→ verbal action or stateἀποστέλλω: 'send'; Saul cites the divine commission (v. 18, ἀπέστειλέν σε κύριος) as proof he was on mission — even while admitting the incomplete execution.
μεmeAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλεν→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. με): 'me'; Saul as the one sent.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἀπέστειλεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the commissioning authority Saul appeals to.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἤγαγονI brought / ledAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἄγωmain verb (Saul's admission of bringing Agag)→ verbal action or stateἄγω (aor. ἤγαγον): 'lead / bring'; Saul's own admission — 'I brought Agag' — is the damning concession: the king he should have destroyed he led back alive (cf. συνέλαβεν, v. 8).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αγαγ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑγαγAgagdirect object of ἤγαγον (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable; the spared king, admitted by Saul himself.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Αγαγ→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; 'Agag king of Amalek' — the very royal prize that constituted the breach of the ban.
Αμαληκof Amalekgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Amalek')→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (contrastive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αμαληκ as accusative, fronted object)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμαληκAmalekdirect object of ἐξωλέθρευσα (fronted, indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable; the people (as distinct from the king) Saul claims to have destroyed.
ἐξωλέθρευσαI utterly destroyedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐξολεθρεύωmain verb (Saul's claim of destroying Amalek)→ verbal action or stateἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly'; Saul claims he carried out the ban on 'Amalek' (the people) — but the juxtaposition with ἤγαγον τὸν Αγαγ ('I brought Agag') exposes the obedience as incomplete and thus void.
21

καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ λαὸς τῶν σκύλων ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια τὰ πρῶτα τοῦ ἐξολεθρεύματος θῦσαι ἐνώπιον κυρίου θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐν Γαλγαλοις

'And the people took of the spoils flocks and herds, the best of the devoted-to-destruction, to sacrifice before the LORD our God in Galgala.'

Saul's final blame-shift and cultic justificationκαὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ λαὸς
Saul completes his defense by again making 'the people' the agents (ὁ λαός) and repeating the cultic motive (θῦσαι ἐνώπιον κυρίου, 'to sacrifice before the LORD'). The striking phrase τὰ πρῶτα τοῦ ἐξολεθρεύματος ('the best of the devoted/banned thing') unwittingly admits the offense: what they kept was precisely the ḥērem-spoil that should have been destroyed. This pious-sounding defense is exactly what the oracle of vv. 22–23 demolishes.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (the people's taking of spoil)→ verbal action or stateλαμβάνω (aor. ἔλαβεν): 'take / receive'; renders לָקַח; Saul attributes the taking of plunder to 'the people', continuing the deflection of vv. 15, 20.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with λαός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject of ἔλαβεν→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; the scapegoat of Saul's excuse, though as king he bore responsibility (v. 9).
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (partitive, with σκύλων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκύλωνspoilsGenitivepartitive genitive (took 'of the spoils')→ relational specificationσκῦλον (gen. pl. σκύλων): 'spoil / plunder'; the partitive genitive ('some of the spoils'); cf. vv. 12, 19.
ποίμνιαflocksAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβεν→ object specificationποίμνιον (n. pl. ποίμνια): 'flock'; the sheep taken from the spoil, as in vv. 9, 14, 15.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
βουκόλιαherdsAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβεν (coordinate with ποίμνια)→ object specificationβουκόλιον (n. pl. βουκόλια): 'herd (of cattle)'; the cattle taken, as in v. 9.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with πρῶτα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρῶταbest / firstAccusativesubstantival adjective (in apposition: 'the best')→ object specificationπρῶτος (n. pl. πρῶτα): 'first / best / choicest'; τὰ πρῶτα ('the best') of the spoil, echoing v. 12; the choicest is precisely what should have fallen under the ban.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with ἐξολεθρεύματος)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐξολεθρεύματοςdevoted thing / what was bannedGenitivegenitive (the best 'of the devoted-to-destruction')→ relational specificationἐξολέθρευμα: 'thing devoted to destruction / the ban-spoil'; the noun (cognate of ἐξολεθρεύω) corresponds to Hebrew חֵרֶם; Saul's phrase 'the best of the ḥērem' is a self-incriminating admission — the spoil he kept was the very thing under the ban, which by definition could not be taken.
θῦσαιto sacrificeAor Act Inf · θύωinfinitive of purpose (with ἔλαβεν: 'took … to sacrifice')→ verbal action or stateθύω (aor. inf. θῦσαι): 'sacrifice'; renders זָבַח; the purpose-infinitive states the pious motive — the same justification (cf. v. 15, ὅπως τυθῇ) that Samuel's oracle (v. 22) declares worthless beside obedience.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (cultic perspective)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: 'before / in the presence of'; Hebraism rendering לִפְנֵי; the sacrifice was to be offered 'before the LORD'.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה; the deity before whom the offering was intended.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive in apposition to κυρίου ('the LORD God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; in apposition with κυρίου.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession ('our God')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): 'our'; here Saul says 'the LORD our God' (contrast 'your God', v. 15), perhaps an attempt to reclaim solidarity with Samuel and the covenant community.
ἐνin / atpreposition + dative (place of the intended sacrifice)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (place of the intended sacrifice).
ΓαλγαλοιςGalgala / GilgalDativedative of place ('at Galgala')→ sphere or referenceΓαλγαλα (dat. pl. Γαλγαλοις): rendering Hebrew גִּלְגָּל; inflected Greek dative plural; the cultic site (cf. v. 4), where the sacrifice was planned and where Saul's rejection is sealed.
22

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ εἰ θελητὸν τῷ κυρίῳ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίαι ὡς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς κυρίου ἰδοὺ ἀκοὴ ὑπὲρ θυσίαν ἀγαθὴ καὶ ἡ ἐπακρόασις ὑπὲρ στέαρ κριῶν

And Samuel said, 'Does the LORD delight in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness than the fat of rams.'

The prophetic oracle: the theological climax (obedience over sacrifice)καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ
The chapter's theological peak. Against Saul's cultic pretext, Samuel sets a prophetic priority-statement: ritual sacrifice (ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίαι) does not please YHWH 'as' obedience (τὸ ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς κυρίου) does. The deictic ἰδού introduces the aphorism: ἀκοή ('obedience/hearing') is better (ἀγαθή) than θυσία ('sacrifice'), and ἐπακρόασις ('heedful attentiveness') than στέαρ κριῶν ('the fat of rams', the choicest sacrificial portion). The whole hinges on the ἀκού-/ἀκοή root that runs through the chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces the great oracle on obedience and sacrifice.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
εἰif / does …?interrogative particle (introducing a rhetorical question)→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: 'if'; here introducing a (rhetorical) direct question expecting the answer 'no', a Hebraism rendering the interrogative הֲ; 'Is it the LORD's delight…?'
θελητὸνpleasing / desirableNominativepredicate adjective (with implied 'is': 'is it pleasing?')→ participant prominenceθελητός: 'desired / pleasing / acceptable'; a verbal adjective from θέλω; θελητὸν τῷ κυρίῳ ('pleasing to the LORD / the LORD's delight') frames the question of what God truly wants — obedience, not ritual.
τῷto theDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativedative of reference/advantage ('pleasing to the LORD')→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the one whose delight is in question.
ὁλοκαυτώματαwhole burnt offeringsNominativesubject (the offerings whose value is questioned)→ participant prominenceὁλοκαύτωμα (n. pl. ὁλοκαυτώματα): 'whole burnt offering / holocaust'; renders עֹלָה; picks up Saul's ὁλοκαύτωσιν (v. 12); the most complete sacrifice, here relativized against obedience.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
θυσίαιsacrificesNominativesubject (coordinate with ὁλοκαυτώματα)→ participant prominenceθυσία (nom. pl. θυσίαι): 'sacrifice / offering'; renders זֶבַח; the general term for sacrifices; together with ὁλοκαυτώματα it represents the whole cultic system Saul invoked as his defense.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle ('as much as')→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; introduces the comparison — sacrifices are not pleasing 'as' (= to the same degree as) obedience; the comparison sets the cult below obedience.
τὸthearticle (with the articular infinitive ἀκοῦσαι)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀκοῦσαιto obey / hearingAor Act Inf · ἀκούωarticular infinitive (the standard of comparison: 'obeying')→ verbal action or stateἀκούω (aor. inf. ἀκοῦσαι): 'hear / obey'; the articular infinitive τὸ ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς κυρίου ('the obeying of the voice of the LORD') names the one thing that pleases God more than any sacrifice — the very thing Saul withheld (vv. 1, 19).
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ἀκοῦσαι (thing heard)→ relational specificationφωνή: 'voice'; 'the voice of the LORD', the recurring leitmotif (vv. 1, 19, 20); obeying it is what God desires.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source ('voice of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה.
ἰδοὺbeholddeictic particle (presenting the aphorism)→ discourse linkage or contrastἰδού: 'behold'; renders הִנֵּה; introduces the climactic maxim with emphasis, calling Saul (and the reader) to attend to the principle.
ἀκοὴobedience / hearingNominativesubject of the aphorism ('obedience is better')→ participant prominenceἀκοή: 'hearing / report / obedience'; the noun cognate with ἀκούω; here 'obedient hearing' — the active heeding of God's word; the aphorism ἀκοὴ ὑπὲρ θυσίαν ἀγαθή ('obedience is better than sacrifice') is the chapter's theological core, echoed in prophetic tradition (cf. Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6–8).
ὑπὲρbetter than / abovepreposition + accusative (comparison: 'rather than')→ spatial or relational framingὑπέρ + acc.: 'above / beyond / more than'; here the comparative use ('better than'), a Hebraism rendering מִן of comparison; ranks obedience above sacrifice.
θυσίανsacrificeAccusativeobject of ὑπέρ (the thing surpassed)→ object specificationθυσία (acc. θυσίαν): 'sacrifice'; the cultic act surpassed by obedience; the contrast distills the prophetic critique of ritual divorced from obedience.
ἀγαθὴgood / betterNominativepredicate adjective (with ἀκοή: 'obedience is good/better')→ participant prominenceἀγαθός (nom. f. ἀγαθή): 'good'; here in comparative force with ὑπέρ ('better'); predicate of ἀκοή — 'obedience is better (than sacrifice)'; the same root ἀγαθ- ironically describes the spared 'good' spoil (vv. 9, 15).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (parallel maxim)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with ἐπακρόασις)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐπακρόασιςattentiveness / heedingNominativesubject of the parallel clause ('attentiveness is better')→ participant prominenceἐπακρόασις: 'attentive listening / heedful obedience'; an intensive compound of ἀκροάομαι ('listen'); parallel to ἀκοή, it sharpens the point — careful heeding of God's word surpasses even the choicest offering.
ὑπὲρbetter than / abovepreposition + accusative (comparison)→ spatial or relational framingὑπέρ + acc.: 'better than'; the comparative, parallel to the first maxim.
στέαρfatAccusativeobject of ὑπέρ (the thing surpassed)→ object specificationστέαρ: 'fat / suet'; renders חֵלֶב; the fat was the choicest, divinely reserved portion of the sacrifice (Lev 3:16); 'better than the fat of rams' means better than the most select cultic offering.
κριῶνof ramsGenitivegenitive of source ('fat of rams')→ relational specificationκριός (gen. pl. κριῶν): 'ram'; renders אַיִל; rams were prime sacrificial animals; 'the fat of rams' epitomizes the costliest worship — yet it weighs nothing against obedience.
23

ὅτι ἁμαρτία οἰώνισμά ἐστιν ὀδύνην καὶ πόνους θεραφιν ἐπάγουσιν ὅτι ἐξουδένωσας τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου καὶ ἐξουδενώσει σε κύριος μὴ εἶναι βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ

'For sin is divination; teraphim bring on pain and troubles. Because you have despised the word of the LORD, the LORD also will despise you, so that you are not king over Israel.'

Ground and verdict: rebellion = idolatry; rejection pronouncedὅτι ἁμαρτία οἰώνισμά ἐστιν
The oracle's second half gives the theological ground (ὅτι) and the sentence. Disobedience is equated with the gravest religious crimes: ἁμαρτία οἰώνισμά ἐστιν ('sin is divination'), and θεραφιν (teraphim/idols) 'bring on pain and troubles'. Then the verdict in a verbal lex talionis: because Saul 'despised' (ἐξουδένωσας) the word of the LORD, the LORD 'will despise' (ἐξουδενώσει) him — unkinging him over Israel. The verb echoes ἐξουδενωμένον of v. 9: Saul treated as worthless what God valued, and is now himself counted worthless as king.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
ὅτιfor / becauseconjunction (causal, grounding the maxim)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; grounds the priority of obedience in the gravity of disobedience — rebellion is as serious as the occult sins named.
ἁμαρτίαsinNominativesubject (of the equation 'sin is divination')→ participant prominenceἁμαρτία: 'sin'; renders חַטָּאת; here Saul's disobedience/rebellion; the Hebrew of 1 Sam 15:23 reads 'rebellion (מְרִי) is as the sin of divination', which the LXX compresses into the stark equation ἁμαρτία οἰώνισμά ἐστιν ('sin is divination').
οἰώνισμάdivination / auguryNominativepredicate nominative (with ἐστιν: 'sin is divination')→ participant prominenceοἰώνισμα: 'augury / divination (by omens, esp. bird-signs)'; renders קֶסֶם; the equation brands disobedience as tantamount to the forbidden occult arts (cf. Deut 18:10) — a capital religious offense, not a minor lapse.
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopula (linking ἁμαρτία and οἰώνισμα)→ verbal action or stateεἰμί: 'be'; the gnomic present states a timeless theological identity — sin is (in essence) divination.
ὀδύνηνpain / griefAccusativedirect object of ἐπάγουσιν→ object specificationὀδύνη (acc. ὀδύνην): 'pain / anguish / grief'; one of the evils that idolatry brings; the accusative object of ἐπάγουσιν.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πόνουςtroubles / toilsAccusativedirect object of ἐπάγουσιν (coordinate with ὀδύνην)→ object specificationπόνος (acc. pl. πόνους): 'toil / hardship / trouble'; the second object — idolatry produces pain and troubles; the pairing ὀδύνην καὶ πόνους conveys comprehensive misery.
θεραφινteraphim / household idolssubject of ἐπάγουσιν (indeclinable transliteration)→ clausal contributionθεραφιν: transliteration of Hebrew תְּרָפִים (teraphim), household idols used in divination (cf. Gen 31:19; Judg 17:5; Hos 3:4); left untranslated and indeclinable; here the subject — 'teraphim bring pain and troubles'; the Hebrew parallels stubbornness/presumption with תְּרָפִים (idolatry), which the LXX renders concretely as the idols that cause suffering.
ἐπάγουσινbring on / inflictPres Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπάγωmain verb (idols inflicting suffering)→ verbal action or stateἐπάγω: 'bring upon / lead on / inflict'; the plural agrees with θεραφιν (idols, construed as plural); the gnomic present states the general consequence of idolatry — it inflicts pain and trouble on its devotees.
ὅτιbecauseconjunction (causal, introducing the verdict)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; introduces the specific ground of Saul's rejection — his despising of the divine word.
ἐξουδένωσαςyou despised / rejectedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐξουδενόωverb of the causal clause (Saul's offense)→ verbal action or stateἐξουδενόω: 'count as nothing / despise / reject'; renders מָאַס; ἐξουδένωσας τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου ('you despised the word of the LORD') — Saul treated God's command as worthless; the verb deliberately echoes ἐξουδενωμένον (v. 9), the 'worthless' goods he destroyed: he despised the wrong thing.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativedirect object of ἐξουδένωσας→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / command'; renders דָּבָר; τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου ('the word of the LORD') — the divine command Saul despised; repeated verbatim at v. 26.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source ('word of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה.
καὶand / socoordinate conjunction (introducing the reciprocal verdict)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here introduces the talionic consequence ('and so / therefore'), matching Saul's despising with the LORD's.
ἐξουδενώσειwill despise / rejectFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξουδενόωmain verb (the LORD's reciprocal rejection)→ verbal action or stateἐξουδενόω: 'reject / count as worthless'; the future ἐξουδενώσει σε κύριος ('the LORD will reject you') is the exact talionic answer to ἐξουδένωσας — measure for measure: as Saul despised the word, so the LORD despises Saul as king.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξουδενώσει→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): 'you'; Saul, the object now of the divine rejection he provoked.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐξουδενώσει→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the one who rejects Saul as king.
μὴnot / so as notnegative (with the infinitive of result: 'so as not to be')→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: with the infinitive expressing result/consequence ('so that you are not'); negates Saul's continuance in the kingship.
εἶναιto bePres Inf · εἰμίinfinitive of result (with μή: 'so as not to be king')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. inf. εἶναι): 'be'; the infinitive μὴ εἶναι βασιλέα ('not to be king') expresses the consequence of the rejection — Saul ceases to be the legitimate king; cf. the fuller τοῦ μὴ εἶναι at v. 26.
βασιλέαkingAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἶναι: 'to be king')→ object specificationβασιλεύς (acc. βασιλέα): 'king'; the office now forfeited — the reversal of the anointing of vv. 1, 17.
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (authority)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'over', rendering עַל.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐπί (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ, the recurring phrase (vv. 1, 17), now negated in the sentence of rejection.
24

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ ἡμάρτηκα ὅτι παρέβην τὸν λόγον κυρίου καὶ τὸ ῥῆμά σου ὅτι ἐφοβήθην τὸν λαὸν καὶ ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν

And Saul said to Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I transgressed the word of the LORD and your command, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.'

Saul's confession (belated and conditional)καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ
Saul finally confesses with the perfect ἡμάρτηκα ('I have sinned'), admitting he transgressed both 'the word of the LORD' and Samuel's command. But the confession still deflects: he sinned 'because I feared the people and obeyed their voice' — the inversion of v. 1 (obey the voice of the LORD). The fear of the people, not reverence for God, governed him.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Saul's confession.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΣαμουηλSamuelobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
ἡμάρτηκαI have sinnedPerf Act Indic 1 Sg · ἁμαρτάνωmain verb (Saul's confession)→ verbal action or stateἁμαρτάνω (perf. ἡμάρτηκα): 'sin'; renders חָטָאתִי; the perfect 'I have sinned' acknowledges a standing guilt; repeated at v. 30; cf. the participle ἁμαρτάνοντας of the Amalekites (v. 18) — Saul now joins the category of sinners.
ὅτιfor / in thatconjunction (explicative/causal: the content of the sin)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because / in that'; introduces the substance of the confession — the transgression of the command.
παρέβηνI transgressedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · παραβαίνωverb of the ὅτι-clause (the transgression)→ verbal action or stateπαραβαίνω: 'go aside / transgress / overstep'; renders עָבַר; 'I transgressed the word of the LORD' names the disobedience as a stepping-over of the divine command.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λόγον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγονword / commandAccusativedirect object of παρέβην→ object specificationλόγος (acc. λόγον): 'word / command'; renders דָּבָר / פִּי; τὸν λόγον κυρίου ('the word/command of the LORD') — the very command Saul earlier claimed to have kept (v. 13).
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source ('word of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμάcommand / wordAccusativedirect object of παρέβην (coordinate with λόγον)→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / saying'; here Samuel's own command ('your word'); Saul acknowledges transgressing both the divine and the prophetic word that conveyed it.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your word')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; refers to Samuel, whose prophetic word relayed the LORD's command.
ὅτιbecauseconjunction (causal: the motive of the sin)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; introduces the still-deflecting motive — fear of the people.
ἐφοβήθηνI fearedAor Pass Indic 1 Sg · φοβέομαιverb of the causal clause (Saul's motive)→ verbal action or stateφοβέομαι (aor. pass. ἐφοβήθην): 'fear / be afraid of'; renders יָרֵא; Saul's fear of the people, rather than fear of God, is offered as the cause — a confession that even in admitting sin he reveals misplaced reverence.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸνpeopleAccusativedirect object of ἐφοβήθην→ object specificationλαός (acc. λαόν): 'people'; the people Saul feared and obeyed instead of the LORD; the climactic admission of the blame-shift begun in vv. 15, 21.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἤκουσαI obeyed / listened toAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (Saul's misplaced obedience)→ verbal action or stateἀκούω (aor. ἤκουσα): 'hear / obey'; the damning self-indictment — Saul 'obeyed' (ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν, 'heeded their voice'), the exact inversion of ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου (v. 1) and the charge οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου (v. 19).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φωνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ἤκουσα (thing heeded)→ relational specificationφωνή: 'voice'; 'their voice' (the people's) — the voice Saul obeyed in place of the LORD's, completing the chapter's φωνή-contrast.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession ('their voice')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): 'their'; refers to the people whose voice Saul heeded.
25

καὶ νῦν ἆρον δὴ τὸ ἁμάρτημά μου καὶ ἀνάστρεψον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ καὶ προσκυνήσω κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου

'And now, take away, I pray, my sin, and turn back with me, and I will worship the LORD your God.'

Saul's plea for pardon and restored fellowshipκαὶ νῦν ἆρον δὴ
Saul's confession turns to entreaty: he begs Samuel to 'lift/take away' his sin and to return with him so he may worship. The plea is more concerned with public restoration than true repentance, as v. 30 will reveal. Again he says 'the LORD your God', not 'my God'.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transitional: 'and now')→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: 'now'; καὶ νῦν moves from confession to petition.
ἆρονtake away / liftAor Act Impv 2 Sg · αἴρωmain verb (petition to remove sin)→ verbal action or stateαἴρω (aor. impv. ἆρον): 'lift up / take away / bear'; renders נָשָׂא; 'take away my sin' is a plea for pardon (the idiom נָשָׂא חַטָּאת, 'forgive/bear sin'); Saul asks Samuel to mediate forgiveness.
δὴplease / I prayentreaty particle (softening the imperative)→ discourse linkage or contrastδή: an emphatic/entreaty particle ('now / please / I pray'); renders נָא; it lends urgency and supplication to the imperative.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ἁμάρτημα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἁμάρτημάsinAccusativedirect object of ἆρον→ object specificationἁμάρτημα: 'sin / sinful act'; renders חַטָּאת; the concrete deed of sin that Saul asks to be removed; cognate with ἡμάρτηκα (v. 24).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my sin')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): 'my'; Saul at last owns the sin as his own.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνάστρεψονturn back / returnAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀναστρέφωmain verb (petition for Samuel's return)→ verbal action or stateἀναστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; renders שׁוּב; 'return with me' — Saul wants Samuel's accompanying presence to legitimize him; the verb is taken up in Samuel's refusal (v. 26, οὐκ ἀναστρέφω) and eventual relenting (v. 31, ἀνέστρεψεν).
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingμετά (elided μετ᾿): 'with'; marks the accompaniment Saul desires.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετ᾿ ('with me')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. ἐμοῦ): the accented form after the preposition; 'with me'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (purpose/result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσκυνήσωI will worshipFut Act Indic 1 Sg · προσκυνέωmain verb (Saul's intended worship)→ verbal action or stateπροσκυνέω: 'do obeisance / worship / bow down'; renders הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה; Saul wants to worship — but Samuel's oracle has just shown that worship without obedience is rejected; cf. v. 30 (same request), v. 31 (Samuel worships).
κυρίῳto the LORDDativedative object of προσκυνήσω (the one worshiped)→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the object of worship; divine.
τῷtheDativearticle (with θεῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεῷGodDativedative in apposition to κυρίῳ ('the LORD God')→ sphere or referenceθεός (dat. θεῷ): 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; in apposition with κυρίῳ.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your God')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; again 'the LORD your God' (as v. 15), subtly distancing Saul from the God he disobeyed.
26

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ οὐκ ἀναστρέφω μετὰ σοῦ ὅτι ἐξουδένωσας τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου καὶ ἐξουδενώσει σε κύριος τοῦ μὴ εἶναι βασιλέα ἐπὶ τὸν Ισραηλ

And Samuel said to Saul, 'I will not turn back with you, for you have despised the word of the LORD, and the LORD will despise you, so that you are not king over Israel.'

Samuel's refusal: reaffirmation of the verdictκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ
Samuel refuses the plea (οὐκ ἀναστρέφω μετὰ σοῦ) and repeats the verdict of v. 23 almost verbatim — ἐξουδένωσας … ἐξουδενώσει σε κύριος — sealing the irreversibility of the rejection. The doubling underscores that the sentence is fixed; the kingdom is gone.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Samuel's refusal.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΣαουλSaulobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἀναστρέφω)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: negates Samuel's returning — a flat refusal of Saul's plea.
ἀναστρέφωI turn back / returnPres Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀναστρέφωmain verb (Samuel's refusal)→ verbal action or stateἀναστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; the present οὐκ ἀναστρέφω ('I will not return') firmly denies the request of v. 25; the verb frames the whole return-motif (vv. 25, 31).
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with'.
σοῦyouGenitivegenitive object of μετά ('with you')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σοῦ): the accented form; 'with you'.
ὅτιbecauseconjunction (causal: ground of refusal)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; gives the reason for the refusal — Saul's despising of the divine word (repeating v. 23).
ἐξουδένωσαςyou despisedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐξουδενόωverb of the causal clause (Saul's offense)→ verbal action or stateἐξουδενόω: 'despise / count as nothing'; the verbatim repetition of v. 23 — the verdict is restated to underline its finality.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativedirect object of ἐξουδένωσας→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / command'; τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου, the despised divine word (cf. v. 23).
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source ('word of the LORD')→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה.
καὶand / socoordinate conjunction (talionic consequence)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: introduces the reciprocal verdict, as in v. 23.
ἐξουδενώσειwill despiseFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξουδενόωmain verb (the LORD's reciprocal rejection)→ verbal action or stateἐξουδενόω: 'reject / despise'; the talionic future repeating v. 23 — measure for measure, the LORD rejects Saul as Saul rejected the word.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξουδενώσει→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): 'you'; Saul, rejected as king.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐξουδενώσει→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה.
τοῦso as / theGenitivearticle (genitive, with infinitive of result/purpose)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): the genitive article with the infinitive (τοῦ μὴ εἶναι) forms a result/purpose construction ('so as not to be'); a fuller form than the bare μὴ εἶναι of v. 23.
μὴnotnegative (with the articular infinitive)→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: negates the infinitive; 'so as not to be king'.
εἶναιto bePres Inf · εἰμίarticular infinitive of result (τοῦ μὴ εἶναι: 'so as not to be')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. inf. εἶναι): 'be'; τοῦ μὴ εἶναι βασιλέα ('so that you are no longer king') seals the deposition; the genitive-articular form intensifies the finality over against v. 23.
βασιλέαkingAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἶναι)→ object specificationβασιλεύς (acc. βασιλέα): 'king'; the forfeited office.
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (authority)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'over'; here with the article τόν before the indeclinable name.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Ισραηλ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐπί (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; here the article τόν supplies the accusative (ἐπὶ τὸν Ισραηλ), a slight variation on the anarthrous ἐπὶ Ισραηλ of v. 23.
27

καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν Σαμουηλ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν καὶ ἐκράτησεν Σαουλ τοῦ πτερυγίου τῆς διπλοΐδος αὐτοῦ καὶ διέρρηξεν αὐτό

And Samuel turned his face to go away, and Saul seized the hem of his cloak, and it was torn.

The sign-act: the torn robeκαὶ ἀπέστρεψεν Σαμουηλ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ
As Samuel turns to leave, Saul grasps the hem of his robe and it tears — an unintended sign-act that Samuel immediately interprets (v. 28). The torn διπλοΐς ('double-cloak') becomes the visual emblem of the torn kingdom. The verb διέρρηξεν here is picked up in v. 28 (διέρρηξεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν).
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέστρεψενturnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (Samuel turning to leave)→ verbal action or stateἀποστρέφω: 'turn away / turn back'; in the idiom ἀπέστρεψεν τὸ πρόσωπον ('turned his face [away]') it denotes departure; ironically the same verb described Saul's apostasy (v. 11, ἀπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ ὄπισθέν μου).
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with πρόσωπον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρόσωπονfaceAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστρεψεν→ object specificationπρόσωπον: 'face'; renders פָּנִים; 'turned his face' = made to depart; cf. the same noun in the geographical idiom of v. 7 (ἐπὶ προσώπου).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his face')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): 'his'; Samuel's face.
τοῦto / theGenitivearticle (genitive, with infinitive of purpose)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): the genitive article with the infinitive τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν forms a purpose construction ('in order to go away').
ἀπελθεῖνto go awayAor Act Inf · ἀπέρχομαιarticular infinitive of purpose (τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν: 'to depart')→ verbal action or stateἀπέρχομαι (aor. inf. ἀπελθεῖν): 'go away / depart'; the purpose-infinitive states Samuel's intention to leave — the movement that occasions the tearing of the robe.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκράτησενseized / graspedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κρατέωmain verb (Saul seizing the robe)→ verbal action or stateκρατέω: 'seize / hold / grasp'; renders חָזַק / אָחַז; with the genitive of the thing grasped (τοῦ πτερυγίου); Saul clutches at Samuel in desperation, accidentally tearing the robe — the unwitting sign of the rent kingdom.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of ἐκράτησεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with πτερυγίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πτερυγίουhem / edgeGenitivegenitive object of ἐκράτησεν (the thing grasped)→ relational specificationπτερύγιον: 'wing-tip / edge / hem / corner (of a garment)'; renders כָּנָף; the 'skirt/corner' of the robe; κρατέω takes the genitive of what is grasped; the hem torn off becomes the prophetic sign.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with διπλοΐδος)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
διπλοΐδοςcloak / mantleGenitivegenitive (the garment whose hem was seized)→ relational specificationδιπλοΐς (gen. διπλοΐδος): 'double cloak / mantle' (a folded outer garment); renders מְעִיל; the prophet's mantle, the tearing of which Samuel reads as a sign of the torn kingdom (v. 28).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his cloak')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): 'his'; the cloak belongs to Samuel.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διέρρηξενtore / it toreAor Act Indic 3 Sg · διαρρήγνυμιmain verb (the tearing of the robe)→ verbal action or stateδιαρρήγνυμι: 'tear apart / rend'; renders קָרַע; the hem tears (whether Saul or the action 'tore it'); the verb is deliberately repeated in v. 28 (διέρρηξεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν), making the torn robe the figure of the torn kingdom.
αὐτόitAccusativedirect object of διέρρηξεν (= the hem/robe)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. n. αὐτό): 'it'; the torn piece of the garment, the physical sign.
28

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Σαμουηλ διέρρηξεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν Ισραηλ ἐκ χειρός σου σήμερον καὶ δώσει αὐτὴν τῷ πλησίον σου τῷ ἀγαθῷ ὑπὲρ σέ

And Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from your hand today, and will give it to your neighbor, who is better than you.'

Prophetic interpretation of the signκαὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Σαμουηλ
Samuel reads the torn robe as a divine sign: διέρρηξεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ('the LORD has torn the kingdom') from Saul 'today', and will give it to a worthier neighbor (τῷ πλησίον σου τῷ ἀγαθῷ ὑπὲρ σέ) — a veiled reference to David. The verb διέρρηξεν links sign and reality; the phrase ὑπὲρ σέ ('better than you') echoes the comparative ὑπέρ of v. 22.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Samuel's interpretation of the sign.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeobject of πρός (= Saul)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; Saul as addressee.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
διέρρηξενhas tornAor Act Indic 3 Sg · διαρρήγνυμιmain verb (the LORD's tearing of the kingdom)→ verbal action or stateδιαρρήγνυμι: 'tear apart / rend'; the same verb as v. 27 — the torn robe figures the torn kingdom; 'the LORD has torn the kingdom' makes the sign-act a divine pronouncement, not a mere accident.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of διέρρηξεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; YHWH is the true agent who tears the kingdom away.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with βασιλείαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βασιλείανkingdom / kingshipAccusativedirect object of διέρρηξεν→ object specificationβασιλεία: 'kingdom / kingship / reign'; renders מַמְלָכָה / מְלוּכָה; the royal rule torn from Saul; cognate with βασιλεύς (v. 23) — the office and its dominion are both forfeited.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'kingdom of Israel')→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'from / out of'; in the idiom ἐκ χειρός σου ('from your hand') = from your control/possession.
χειρόςhandGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (idiomatic: 'from your hand')→ relational specificationχείρ (gen. χειρός): 'hand'; renders יָד; ἐκ χειρός ('from the hand of') is a Hebraism for removal of possession or power; the kingship is wrested from Saul's grasp.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your hand')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; renders הַיּוֹם; marks the rejection as effective now — the kingdom is torn away on this very day, though its full transfer to David awaits later events.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
δώσειwill giveFut Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιmain verb (the LORD's giving of the kingdom to another)→ verbal action or stateδίδωμι (fut. δώσει): 'give'; renders נָתַן; the kingdom torn from Saul will be given to a worthier man — a veiled prophecy of David's elevation (cf. 1 Kgdms 16).
αὐτὴνitAccusativedirect object of δώσει (= the kingdom)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. f. αὐτήν): 'it'; the kingdom (βασιλεία, feminine) given to another.
τῷto theDativearticle (with πλησίον)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighbor / fellowDativeindirect object of δώσει (the recipient of the kingdom)→ sphere or referenceπλησίον: 'neighbor / fellow'; substantivized adverb (here dative via the article); renders רֵעַ; 'your neighbor' is the unnamed worthier man (David), a deliberately veiled designation.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship ('your neighbor')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; the worthier man is Saul's own 'neighbor/fellow' Israelite.
τῷtheDativearticle (with ἀγαθῷ, in apposition to πλησίον)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγαθῷgood oneDativesubstantival adjective in apposition ('the good [neighbor]')→ sphere or referenceἀγαθός (dat. ἀγαθῷ): 'good'; τῷ ἀγαθῷ ('the good one') describes the worthier successor; the root ἀγαθ- runs through the chapter (the spared 'good' spoil, vv. 9, 15; obedience as 'good', v. 22) — here the truly 'good' man receives the kingdom.
ὑπὲρbetter thanpreposition + accusative (comparison: 'better than you')→ spatial or relational framingὑπέρ + acc.: comparative 'better than / above'; the same comparative idiom as v. 22 (ἀκοὴ ὑπὲρ θυσίαν) — the new king is 'better than' Saul, just as obedience is 'better than' sacrifice.
σέyouAccusativeobject of ὑπέρ (the one surpassed)→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σέ): the accented form; 'than you' — Saul surpassed by his worthier successor.
29

καὶ διαιρεθήσεται Ισραηλ εἰς δύο καὶ οὐκ ἀποστρέψει οὐδὲ μετανοήσει ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν τοῦ μετανοῆσαι αὐτός

'And Israel will be divided in two, and he will not turn back nor relent; for he is not like a man, that he should relent.'

Oracle of irreversibility (the divine-immutability counterpoint)καὶ διαιρεθήσεται Ισραηλ
The verse holds the divine-regret theme in tension. Whereas YHWH 'regretted' making Saul king (v. 11, παρακέκλημαι; v. 35, μετεμελήθη), here the LORD 'will not turn back nor relent' (οὐκ ἀποστρέψει οὐδὲ μετανοήσει) about the rejection, for he 'is not like a man that he should relent'. The LXX adds the striking notice διαιρεθήσεται Ισραηλ εἰς δύο ('Israel will be divided in two'), foreshadowing the later schism. The point is not that God never relents, but that this verdict is fixed.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διαιρεθήσεταιwill be dividedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · διαιρέωmain verb (the future division of Israel)→ verbal action or stateδιαιρέω (fut. pass. διαιρεθήσεται): 'divide / separate'; the LXX's distinctive notice that 'Israel will be divided in two' anticipates the splitting of the kingdom (cf. the tearing imagery of vv. 27–28); a divine forecast of lasting consequence.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of διαιρεθήσεται (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the nation to be divided.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (result of division)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: 'into'; εἰς δύο ('into two') marks the result of the division.
δύοtwoindeclinable numeral (object of εἰς: 'into two')→ measure or countδύο: 'two'; indeclinable cardinal; 'divided into two' — the coming schism of the kingdom.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἀποστρέψει)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: negates the LORD's turning back from the verdict.
ἀποστρέψειwill turn back / revokeFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωmain verb (the LORD's non-reversal)→ verbal action or stateἀποστρέφω: 'turn back / reverse'; here intransitive 'turn back (from the decision)'; the LORD 'will not turn back' — the verdict is irreversible; ironically the same verb described Saul's apostasy (v. 11) and Samuel's turning (v. 27).
οὐδὲnornegative coordinating conjunction ('nor')→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'and not / nor'; couples the second negated verb to the first.
μετανοήσειwill relent / change his mindFut Act Indic 3 Sg · μετανοέωmain verb (the LORD's non-relenting)→ verbal action or stateμετανοέω: 'change one's mind / relent / repent'; renders נִחַם; the LORD 'will not relent' over this rejection — set in deliberate tension with παρακέκλημαι (v. 11) and μετεμελήθη (v. 35); the resolution is that God's anthropopathic grief over Saul does not entail revoking the just sentence.
ὅτιfor / becauseconjunction (causal: grounds the immutability)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; grounds the non-relenting in God's nature — unlike a fickle human.
οὐχnotnegative particle (with the comparison ὡς ἄνθρωπος)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐχ: the form of οὐ before a rough breathing; negates the comparison 'as a man'.
ὡςas / likecomparative particle ('like a man')→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; introduces the comparison the verse denies — God is not like a man.
ἄνθρωπόςman / humanNominativepredicate nominative (in the comparison: 'as a man')→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'human being / man'; renders אָדָם / אִישׁ; the comparison 'not as a man' asserts divine constancy over against human fickleness (cf. Num 23:19, 'God is not a man, that he should lie').
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopula (with the comparison: 'he is [not] as a man')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί: 'be'; the present states a timeless truth about the divine nature — God's constancy.
τοῦso as / theGenitivearticle (genitive, with infinitive of result/purpose)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): the genitive article with the infinitive (τοῦ μετανοῆσαι) forms an epexegetical/result construction ('so as to relent / that he should relent').
μετανοῆσαιto relentAor Act Inf · μετανοέωarticular infinitive (epexegetical: 'that he should relent')→ verbal action or stateμετανοέω (aor. inf. μετανοῆσαι): 'change one's mind / relent'; the articular infinitive completes the thought — God is not like a man 'so as to relent' on a just verdict; the repetition of the root (μετανοήσει … μετανοῆσαι) hammers the point of immutability.
αὐτόςhe himselfNominativeintensive pronoun (emphatic subject: 'he himself')→ participant referenceαὐτός (nom. αὐτός): emphatic 'he himself'; underscores that it is God himself, in his very nature, who does not relent like a fickle man.
30

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ ἡμάρτηκα ἀλλὰ δόξασόν με δὴ ἐνώπιον πρεσβυτέρων Ισραηλ καὶ ἐνώπιον λαοῦ μου καὶ ἀνάστρεψον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ καὶ προσκυνήσω τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ σου

And Saul said, 'I have sinned; yet honor me, I pray, before the elders of Israel and before my people, and turn back with me, and I will worship the LORD your God.'

Saul's renewed plea (concern for public honor)καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
Saul repeats his confession (ἡμάρτηκα) but his real concern surfaces: δόξασόν με ('honor me') before the elders and the people. He cares more for public standing than for restored relationship with God — 'my people', 'your God'. The plea reveals that even now Saul fears the people's regard (cf. v. 24).
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Saul's renewed plea.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἡμάρτηκαI have sinnedPerf Act Indic 1 Sg · ἁμαρτάνωmain verb (repeated confession)→ verbal action or stateἁμαρτάνω (perf. ἡμάρτηκα): 'sin'; the confession of v. 24 is repeated, but immediately subordinated to the request for public honor — the contrition is real yet shallow.
ἀλλὰyet / butadversative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastἀλλά: 'but / yet'; the adversative reveals Saul's true priority — despite admitting sin, what he wants is to be honored before the people.
δόξασόνhonor / glorifyAor Act Impv 2 Sg · δοξάζωmain verb (the real request: 'honor me')→ verbal action or stateδοξάζω (aor. impv. δόξασον): 'glorify / honor / give weight to'; renders כָּבֵד (Piel); Saul's central concern — that Samuel publicly honor him before the elders and people, preserving his royal standing despite the rejection.
μεmeAccusativedirect object of δόξασον→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. με): 'me'; Saul, the object of the desired public honor.
δὴplease / I prayentreaty particle→ discourse linkage or contrastδή: entreaty particle ('please / I pray'); renders נָא; softens the imperative into supplication (as v. 25).
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (perspective: before whom)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: 'before / in the presence of'; Hebraism rendering לִפְנֵי; Saul wants honor 'before' the leaders — a public, social vindication.
πρεσβυτέρωνeldersGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον→ relational specificationπρεσβύτερος (gen. pl. πρεσβυτέρων): 'elder'; renders זָקֵן; the tribal leaders before whom Saul fears loss of face.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'elders of Israel')→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (second occurrence)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: repeated for emphasis — 'and before my people'.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον→ relational specificationλαός: 'people'; the people whose regard Saul prizes; 'my people' (λαοῦ μου) reveals his continuing concern for his standing among them (cf. v. 24).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my people')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): 'my'; Saul still claims the people as 'my people', clinging to royal identity.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνάστρεψονturn back / returnAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀναστρέφωmain verb (repeated petition for Samuel's return)→ verbal action or stateἀναστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; the renewed plea (cf. v. 25) — Saul still wants Samuel's accompanying presence; this time Samuel relents (v. 31).
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά (elided μετ᾿): 'with'.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετ᾿ ('with me')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. ἐμοῦ): the accented form; 'with me'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (purpose/result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσκυνήσωI will worshipFut Act Indic 1 Sg · προσκυνέωmain verb (Saul's intended worship)→ verbal action or stateπροσκυνέω: 'worship / bow down'; repeats the request of v. 25; Saul still wishes to worship, now with Samuel's legitimizing presence.
τῷtheDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativedative object of προσκυνήσω (the one worshiped)→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the object of Saul's intended worship; divine.
θεῷGodDativedative in apposition to κυρίῳ ('the LORD God')→ sphere or referenceθεός (dat. θεῷ): 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; in apposition with κυρίῳ.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your God')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; once more 'the LORD your God' — Saul's persistent distancing from the God he disobeyed.
31

καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν Σαμουηλ ὀπίσω Σαουλ καὶ προσεκύνησεν τῷ κυρίῳ

And Samuel turned back after Saul, and he worshiped the LORD.

Samuel's qualified relenting (for the sake of public order)καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν Σαμουηλ
Samuel relents enough to accompany Saul and worship, granting the public honor Saul sought — yet the rejection itself stands unchanged. The verb ἀνέστρεψεν fulfills Saul's repeated ἀνάστρεψον (vv. 25, 30); προσεκύνησεν echoes Saul's promised προσκυνήσω. The worship is real, but it does not undo the sentence.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνέστρεψενturned back / returnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναστρέφωmain verb (Samuel's return with Saul)→ verbal action or stateἀναστρέφω: 'turn back / return'; Samuel now does what he twice refused/was asked (vv. 25, 26, 30) — he returns; the relenting is a concession for public order, not a reversal of the verdict (v. 29).
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
ὀπίσωafter / behindpreposition/adverb + genitive (following: 'after Saul')→ spatial or relational framingὀπίσω: 'behind / after'; with the genitive 'after (following) Saul'; renders אַחֲרֵי; Samuel goes back in Saul's company.
ΣαουλSaulgenitive object of ὀπίσω (indeclinable: 'after Saul')→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσεκύνησενworshipedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προσκυνέωmain verb (the act of worship)→ verbal action or stateπροσκυνέω: 'worship / bow down'; fulfills the προσκυνήσω of Saul's plea (vv. 25, 30); the subject is likely Saul (the one who longed to worship), though grammatically it could be Samuel — the worship of the LORD occurs, but the kingdom remains torn away.
τῷtheDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativedative object of προσεκύνησεν (the one worshiped)→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of יהוה; the object of worship; divine.
32

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ προσαγάγετέ μοι τὸν Αγαγ βασιλέα Αμαληκ καὶ προσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Αγαγ τρέμων καὶ εἶπεν Αγαγ εἰ οὕτως πικρὸς ὁ θάνατος

And Samuel said, 'Bring to me Agag king of Amalek.' And Agag came to him trembling; and Agag said, 'Is death so bitter?'

The unfinished ban resumed: Samuel summons Agagκαὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ
Samuel completes the ḥērem Saul left undone. He summons Agag, who comes 'trembling' (τρέμων). Agag's enigmatic words εἰ οὕτως πικρὸς ὁ θάνατος ('is death so bitter?') — whether a resigned lament or a misplaced hope of reprieve — heighten the grim solemnity of the scene the prophet, not the king, must now carry out.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Samuel's command to bring Agag.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
προσαγάγετέbringAor Act Impv 2 Pl · προσάγωmain verb (command to attendants)→ verbal action or stateπροσάγω (aor. impv. 2 pl. προσαγάγετε): 'bring to / lead forward'; renders הִגִּישׁ / הִקְרִיב; the plural addresses Saul's attendants; Samuel takes charge of completing the ban that Saul failed to execute.
μοιto meDativeindirect object of προσαγάγετε→ participant reference or interestἐγώ (dat. μοι): 'to me'; Agag is to be brought to Samuel for execution.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αγαγ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑγαγAgagdirect object of προσαγάγετε (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable; the spared king now summoned to judgment.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Αγαγ→ object specificationβασιλεύς: 'king'; 'Agag king of Amalek' — the title that made him the prize spared in violation of the ban.
Αμαληκof Amalekgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Amalek')→ participant identificationΑμαληκ: indeclinable.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσῆλθενcame / approachedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προσέρχομαιmain verb (Agag's approach)→ verbal action or stateπροσέρχομαι (aor. προσῆλθεν): 'come to / approach'; Agag is led forward to Samuel; the verb answers προσαγάγετε.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of approach)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of approach).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeobject of πρός (= Samuel)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; Samuel, to whom Agag is brought.
ΑγαγAgagsubject of προσῆλθεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable.
τρέμωνtremblingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · τρέμωcircumstantial participle (manner: 'trembling')→ verbal action or stateτρέμω: 'tremble / quake'; the participle τρέμων ('trembling') conveys Agag's terror as he is led to execution — a vivid, pathetic detail of the doomed king's approach.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (Agag's speech)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Agag's enigmatic words.
ΑγαγAgagsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable.
εἰis …? / surelyinterrogative/exclamatory particle→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: 'if'; here introducing a question or exclamation ('Is death thus bitter?' / 'Surely death is bitter!'); the Hebrew is notoriously ambiguous, and the LXX preserves the enigmatic force of Agag's last words.
οὕτωςthus / soadverb of manner (modifying πικρός)→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / so / in this way'; 'so bitter' — qualifying the bitterness of death; the same adverb recurs in Samuel's reply (v. 33, οὕτως ἀτεκνωθήσεται).
πικρὸςbitterNominativepredicate adjective (with ὁ θάνατος: 'death is bitter')→ participant prominenceπικρός: 'bitter / harsh'; renders מַר; Agag laments (or muses on) the bitterness of the death now upon him — perhaps hoping he had escaped it, or resigned to it.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θάνατος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θάνατοςdeathNominativesubject (of the verbless exclamation: 'death is bitter')→ participant prominenceθάνατος: 'death'; renders מָוֶת; the death Agag now faces; the noun recurs at v. 35 (ἡμέρας θανάτου) of Saul's own death — both king and prophet-rejected king move toward death.
33

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Αγαγ καθότι ἠτέκνωσεν γυναῖκας ἡ ῥομφαία σου οὕτως ἀτεκνωθήσεται ἐκ γυναικῶν ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ ἔσφαξεν Σαμουηλ τὸν Αγαγ ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἐν Γαλγαλ

And Samuel said to Agag, 'As your sword bereaved women of children, so your mother shall be made childless among women.' And Samuel slaughtered Agag before the LORD in Galgal.

Talionic sentence and execution (the ban completed)καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Αγαγ
Samuel pronounces a perfectly balanced lex talionis (καθότι … οὕτως, 'as … so'): as Agag's sword made women childless, so his mother will be made childless. Then the prophet himself carries out the ban Saul withheld — ἔσφαξεν … ἐνώπιον κυρίου ('he slaughtered him before the LORD'), the cultic verb marking the killing as a sacral act of ḥērem at Gilgal, the very place of Saul's disobedient sacrifice.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω: introduces Samuel's sentence on Agag.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΑγαγAgagobject of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable.
καθότιas / inasmuch asconjunction (comparative: 'just as')→ discourse linkage or contrastκαθότι: 'inasmuch as / according as / just as'; correlative with οὕτως ('so'); introduces the talionic principle — the punishment matches the crime.
ἠτέκνωσενmade childless / bereavedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀτεκνόωverb of the comparative clause (Agag's crime)→ verbal action or stateἀτεκνόω: 'make childless / bereave of children'; renders שִׁכֵּל; Agag's sword 'bereaved women of their children'; the verb is paired with its passive in the apodosis (ἀτεκνωθήσεται), forming the exact talionic balance.
γυναῖκαςwomenAccusativedirect object of ἠτέκνωσεν→ object specificationγυνή (acc. pl. γυναῖκας): 'woman'; the women Agag's sword bereaved of their children — victims of Amalekite violence.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with ῥομφαία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥομφαίαswordNominativesubject of ἠτέκνωσεν ('your sword')→ participant prominenceῥομφαία: 'sword'; renders חֶרֶב; 'your sword' personifies Agag's instrument of slaughter; the same noun as in v. 8 (ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας), now turned back on its wielder.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your sword')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; the sword is Agag's.
οὕτωςso / thusadverb (correlative with καθότι: 'so')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'so / thus'; the apodosis-marker completing the talionic structure — 'as … so'.
ἀτεκνωθήσεταιshall be made childlessFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀτεκνόωmain verb (the matching sentence on Agag's mother)→ verbal action or stateἀτεκνόω (fut. pass. ἀτεκνωθήσεται): 'be made childless / bereaved'; the passive answers the active ἠτέκνωσεν — measure for measure, Agag's mother is bereaved as Agag bereaved others; his death is her loss of her son.
ἐκamong / frompreposition + genitive (partitive/comparative: 'among women')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'from / among'; ἐκ γυναικῶν ('among women / from among women') marks the mother as singled out among women for bereavement.
γυναικῶνwomenGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ ('among women')→ relational specificationγυνή (gen. pl. γυναικῶν): 'woman'; the women among whom Agag's mother is bereaved — a fitting counterpart to the γυναῖκας his sword bereaved.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with μήτηρ)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μήτηρmotherNominativesubject of ἀτεκνωθήσεται ('your mother')→ participant prominenceμήτηρ: 'mother'; renders אֵם; Agag's mother, bereaved of her son by his execution — the personal cost of the talionic sentence.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your mother')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; the mother is Agag's.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (the execution)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσφαξενslaughtered / hewed in piecesAor Act Indic 3 Sg · σφάζωmain verb (Samuel's execution of Agag)→ verbal action or stateσφάζω: 'slaughter / slay (esp. sacrificially)'; renders שָׁסַף / שָׁחַט; the cultic-slaughter verb marks Agag's killing as a sacral act of ḥērem 'before the LORD'; Samuel completes the ban that Saul refused — the prophet executes what the king would not.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἔσφαξεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; the prophet, not the king, carries out the divine command.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Αγαγ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑγαγAgagdirect object of ἔσφαξεν (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΑγαγ: indeclinable; the spared king finally placed under the ban.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (sacral setting)→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον: 'before / in the presence of'; Hebraism rendering לִפְנֵי; 'before the LORD' marks the execution as a cultic act done in the divine presence — the proper completion of the ḥērem.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה; the LORD before whom the ban is at last fulfilled.
ἐνin / atpreposition + dative (place of execution)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (place of execution).
ΓαλγαλGalgal / Gilgalobject of ἐν (indeclinable place-name: 'in Gilgal')→ participant identificationΓαλγαλ: rendering Hebrew גִּלְגָּל; here in an indeclinable form (contrast the inflected dative Γαλγαλοις, vv. 4, 21); the execution occurs at the same cultic site where Saul disobediently sacrificed — Gilgal becomes the place where both Saul's rejection and Agag's death are sealed.
34

καὶ ἀπῆλθεν Σαμουηλ εἰς Αρμαθαιμ καὶ Σαουλ ἀνέβη εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς Γαβαα

And Samuel departed to Armathaim, and Saul went up to his house, to Gabaa.

The parting of prophet and king (narrative resolution)καὶ ἀπῆλθεν Σαμουηλ
The two figures separate to their own places — Samuel to Armathaim (Ramah), Saul to Gabaa (Gibeah). The simple parataxis of departure underscores the finality of the rupture; their paths, once joined in the making of the kingdom, now diverge for good (cf. v. 35).
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπῆλθενdeparted / went awayAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπέρχομαιmain verb (Samuel's departure)→ verbal action or stateἀπέρχομαι (aor. ἀπῆλθεν): 'go away / depart'; renders הָלַךְ; Samuel leaves for his home, the separation now complete.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal of motion)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (goal of motion).
ΑρμαθαιμArmathaim / Ramahaccusative of goal (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΑρμαθαιμ: transliteration of Hebrew הָרָמָתַיִם / רָמָה (Ramah/Ramathaim); indeclinable; Samuel's hometown and base (cf. 1 Kgdms 1:1; 7:17).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΣαουλSaulsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἀνέβηwent upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβαίνωmain verb (Saul's return home)→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (aor. ἀνέβη): 'go up / ascend'; renders עָלָה; Saul goes up to his house at Gibeah; geographically apt for the hill-town.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (goal).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with οἶκον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative of goal ('to his house')→ object specificationοἶκος: 'house / home'; renders בַּיִת; Saul retreats to his own household, the king now severed from the prophet.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his house')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): 'his'; the house belongs to Saul.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (specifying the place)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: 'to'; specifies the location of Saul's house — Gibeah.
ΓαβααGabaa / Gibeahaccusative of goal (indeclinable place-name, in apposition)→ participant identificationΓαβαα: transliteration of Hebrew גִּבְעָה (Gibeah); indeclinable; Saul's hometown and royal seat (cf. 1 Kgdms 10:26; 11:4).
35

καὶ οὐ προσέθετο Σαμουηλ ἔτι ἰδεῖν τὸν Σαουλ ἕως ἡμέρας θανάτου αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἐπένθει Σαμουηλ ἐπὶ Σαουλ καὶ κύριος μετεμελήθη ὅτι ἐβασίλευσεν τὸν Σαουλ ἐπὶ Ισραηλ

And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned over Saul; and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Closing summary: lifelong separation and divine grief (inclusio)καὶ οὐ προσέθετο Σαμουηλ ἔτι ἰδεῖν
The chapter closes with a threefold finality: Samuel never sees Saul again 'until the day of his death'; Samuel mourns over Saul (ἐπένθει, durative grief); and — forming an inclusio with v. 11 — κύριος μετεμελήθη ('the LORD repented') that he had made Saul king. The repetition of ἐβασίλευσεν τὸν Σαουλ from v. 11 binds the two divine-regret statements, framing the whole chapter between YHWH's grief at the beginning of the rejection and at its sealing.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegative particle (with προσέθετο)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: negates the seeing — Samuel never again saw Saul.
προσέθετοdid again / continuedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · προστίθημιmain verb (auxiliary with the infinitive: 'did not again')→ verbal action or stateπροστίθημι (mid. προσέθετο): 'add / do again'; in the Hebraistic idiom οὐ προσέθετο … ἰδεῖν ('he did not again see' = 'he saw no more'), rendering לֹא יָסַף with an infinitive; expresses the permanent cessation of contact between prophet and king.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
ἔτιagain / stilltemporal adverb (with the negated verb: 'no longer / no more')→ clausal contributionἔτι: 'still / yet / again'; with the negative ('no more / not again'); reinforces the finality of the separation.
ἰδεῖνto seeAor Act Inf · ὁράωcomplementary infinitive (with προσέθετο: 'did not again to see')→ verbal action or stateὁράω (aor. inf. ἰδεῖν): 'see'; the complementary infinitive in the idiom; 'Samuel did not see Saul again' until Saul's death — a lifelong estrangement, though their stories continue (cf. the necromancy scene of 1 Kgdms 28).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Σαουλ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαουλSauldirect object of ἰδεῖν (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἕωςuntilpreposition + genitive (temporal limit)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'until / up to'; marks the temporal boundary — 'until the day of his death'.
ἡμέραςdayGenitivegenitive object of ἕως ('until the day')→ relational specificationἡμέρα (gen. ἡμέρας): 'day'; renders יוֹם; 'the day of his death' fixes the lifelong duration of the estrangement.
θανάτουof deathGenitivegenitive of relationship ('day of death')→ relational specificationθάνατος (gen. θανάτου): 'death'; renders מָוֶת; echoes Agag's words (v. 32, ὁ θάνατος) — the chapter closes under the shadow of death, here Saul's own.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his death')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): 'his'; ambiguous in Greek but referring to Saul (or possibly Samuel) — the estrangement lasted to the end of life.
ὅτιfor / becauseconjunction (causal: reason for the separation)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; gives the reason — Samuel's mourning over Saul.
ἐπένθειwas mourningImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · πενθέωverb of the causal clause (Samuel's grief)→ verbal action or stateπενθέω: 'mourn / grieve / lament'; renders אָבַל / הִתְאַבֵּל; the imperfect ἐπένθει ('he kept mourning') depicts Samuel's enduring grief over Saul — a sorrow as for the dead, prefiguring 1 Kgdms 16:1 ('How long will you mourn for Saul?').
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἐπένθει (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
ἐπὶover / forpreposition + accusative (object of mourning)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'over / for'; πενθέω ἐπί = 'mourn over / for'; marks Saul as the object of Samuel's grief.
ΣαουλSaulobject of ἐπί (indeclinable: 'over Saul')→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (the closing divine-regret notice)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of μετεμελήθη→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the subject of the closing divine-regret statement that frames the chapter (cf. v. 11).
μετεμελήθηrepented / regrettedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · μεταμέλομαιmain verb (the LORD's regret)→ verbal action or stateμεταμέλομαι (aor. pass. μετεμελήθη): 'regret / change one's mind / be sorry'; renders נִחַם; 'the LORD repented that he had made Saul king' forms an inclusio with παρακέκλημαι (v. 11) and stands in deliberate tension with v. 29's οὐ … μετανοήσει — divine grief over Saul does not nullify the irreversible verdict; the LXX uses μεταμέλομαι (cf. NT μεταμέλομαι vs. μετανοέω) for this anthropopathic relenting.
ὅτιthatconjunction (content/causal clause with μετεμελήθη)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that / because'; introduces the object/ground of the divine regret — the enthronement of Saul.
ἐβασίλευσενhe made kingAor Act Indic 3 Sg · βασιλεύωverb of the ὅτι-clause (the regretted act)→ verbal action or stateβασιλεύω: here causative 'make king / enthrone' (cf. v. 11, ἐβασίλευσα); the verbatim echo of v. 11 binds the opening and closing divine-regret statements into a single frame around the chapter.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (inflecting Σαουλ as accusative)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣαουλSauldirect object of ἐβασίλευσεν (indeclinable, made accusative by τόν)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the king whose enthronement the LORD now regrets.
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (authority)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'over', rendering עַל; βασιλέα/βασιλεύειν ἐπὶ Ισραηλ, the recurring phrase (vv. 1, 17, 23, 26), here in its final occurrence.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐπί (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the kingdom over which Saul was made king and from which he is now rejected — the chapter ends where it began, with kingship 'over Israel', but now under the shadow of divine regret.