TRV
Translation
King James Version
And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul summoned the people and reviewed them in T'la'im - 200,000 foot soldiers, with another 10,000 men from Y'hudah.
Berean Standard Bible
So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
American Standard Version
And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
World English Bible Messianic
Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And Saul assembled ye people, and nombred them in Telaim, two hundreth thousande footemen, and ten thousand men of Iudah.
Young's Literal Translation
And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand are men of Judah.
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 7,565 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on 1 Samuel 15 verses 1–9
1 ¶ Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Here, I. Samuel, in God's name, solemnly requires Saul to be obedient to the command of God, and plainly intimates that he was now about to put him upon a trial, in one particular instance, whether he would be obedient or no, Sa1 15:1. And the making of this so expressly the trial of his obedience did very much aggravate his disobedience. 1. He reminds him of what God had done for him: "The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be a king. God gave thee thy power, and therefore he expects thou shouldst use thy power for him. He put honour upon thee, and now thou must study how to do him honour. He made thee king over Israel, and now thou must plead Israel's cause and avenge their quarrels. Thou art advanced to command Israel, but know that thou art a subject to the God of Israel and must be commanded by him." Men's preferment, instead of releasing them from their obedience to God, obliges them so much the more to it. Samuel had himself been employed to anoint Saul, and therefore was the fitter to be send with these orders to him. 2. He tells him, in general, that, in consideration of this, whatever God commanded him to do he was bound to do it: Now therefore hearken to the voice of the Lord. Note, God's favours to us lay strong obligations upon us to be obedient to him. This we must render, Psa 116:12.
II. He appoints him a particular piece of service, in which he must now show his obedience to God more than in any thing he had done yet. Samuel premises God's authority to the command: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the Lord of all hosts, of Israel's hosts. He also gives him a reason for the command, that the severity he must use might not seem hard: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, Sa1 15:2. God had an ancient quarrel with the Amalekites, for the injuries they did to his people Israel when he brought them out of Egypt. We have the story, Exo 17:8, etc., and the crime is aggravated, Deu 25:18. He basely smote the hindmost of them, and feared not God. God then swore that he would have war with Amalek from generation to generation, and that in process of time he would utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek; this is the work that Saul is now appointed to do (Sa1 15:3): "Go and smite Amalek. Israel is now strong, and the measure of the iniquity of Amalek is now full; now go and make a full riddance of that devoted nation." He is expressly commanded to kill and slay all before him, man and woman, infant and suckling, and not spare them out of pity; also ox and sheep, camel and ass, and not spare them out of covetousness. Note, 1. Injuries done to God's Israel will certainly be reckoned for sooner or later, especially the opposition given them when they are coming out of Egypt. 2. God often bears long with those that are marked for ruin. The sentence passed is not executed speedily. 3. Though he bear long, he will not bear always. The year of recompence for the controversy of Israel will come at last. Though divine justice strikes slowly it strikes surely. 4. The longer judgment is delayed many times the more severe it is when it comes. 5. God chooses out instruments to do his work that are fittest for it. This was bloody work, and therefore Saul who was a rough and severe man must do it.
III. Saul hereupon musters his forces, and makes a descent upon the country of Amalek. It was an immense army that he brought into the field (Sa1 15:4): 200,000 footmen. When he came to engage the Philistines, and the success was hazardous, he had but 600 attending him, Sa1 13:15. But now that he was to attack the Amalekites by express order from heaven, in which he was sure of victory, he had thousands at his call. But, whatever it was at other times, it was not now for the honour of Judah that their forces were numbered by themselves, for their quota was scandalously short (whatever was the reason), but a twentieth part of the whole, for they were by 10,000, when the other ten tribes (for I except Levi) brought into the field 200,000. The day of Judah's honour drew near, but had not yet come. Saul numbered them in Telaim, which signifies lambs. He numbered then like lambs (so the vulgar Latin), numbered them by the paschal lambs (so the Chaldee), allowing ten to a lamb, a way of numbering used by the Jews in the later times of their nation. Saul drew all his forces to the city of Amalek, that city that was their metropolis (Sa1 15:5), that he might provoke them to give him battle.
IV. He gave friendly advice to the Kenites to separate themselves from the Amalekites among whom they dwelt, while this execution was in doing, Sa1 15:6. Herein he did prudently and piously, and, it is probable, according to the direction Samuel gave him. The Kenites were of the family and kindred of Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, a people that dwelt in tents, which made it easy for them, upon every occasion, to remove to other lands not appropriated. Many of them, at this time, dwelt among the Amalekites, where, though they dwelt in tents, they were fortified by nature, for they put their nest in a rock, being hardy people that could live any where, and affected fastnesses, Num 24:21. Balaam had foretold that they should be wasted, Num 24:22. However, Saul must not waste them. But, 1. He acknowledges the kindness of their ancestors to Israel, when they came out of Egypt. Jethro and his family had been very helpful and serviceable to them in their passage through the wilderness, had been to them instead of eyes, and this is remembered to their posterity many ages after. Thus a good man leaves the divine blessing for an inheritance to his children's children; those that come after us may be reaping the benefit of our good works when we are in our graves. God is not unrighteous to forget the kindnesses shown to his people; but they shall be remembered another day, at furthest in the great day, and recompensed in the resurrection of the just. I was hungry, and you gave me meat. God's remembering the kindness of the Kenites' ancestors in favour to them, at the same time when he was punishing the injuries done by the ancestors of the Amalekites, helped to clear the righteousness of God in that dispensation. If he entail favours, why may he not entail frowns? He espouses his people's cause, so as to bless those that bless them; and therefore so as to curse those that curse them, Num 24:9; Gen 12:3. They cannot themselves requite the kindnesses nor avenge the injuries done them, but God will do both. 2. He desires them to remove their tents from among the Amalekites: Go, depart, get you down from among them. When destroying judgments are abroad God will take care to separate between the precious and the vile, and to hide the meek of the earth in the day of his anger. It is dangerous being found in the company of God's enemies, and it is our duty and interest to come out from among them, lest we share in their sins and plagues, Rev 18:4. The Jews have a saying, Woe to the wicked man and woe to his neighbour.
V. Saul prevailed against the Amalekites, for it was rather an execution of condemned malefactors than a war with contending enemies. The issue could not be dubious when the cause was just and the call so clear: He smote them (Sa1 15:7), utterly destroyed them, Sa1 15:8. Now they paid dearly for the sin of their ancestors. God sometimes lays up iniquity for the children. They were idolaters, and were guilty of many other sins, for which they deserved to fall under the wrath of God; yet, when God would reckon with them, he fastened upon the sin of their ancestors in abusing his Israel as the ground of his quarrel. Lord, How unsearchable are thy judgments, yet how incontestable is thy righteousness!
VI. Yet he did his work by halves, Sa1 15:9. 1. He spared Agag, because he was a king like himself, and perhaps in hope to get a great ransom for him. 2. He spared the best of the cattle, and destroyed only the refuse, that was good for little. Many of the people, we may suppose, made their escape, and took their effects with them into other countries, and therefore we read of Amalekites after this; but that could not be helped. It was Saul's fault that he did not destroy such as came to his hands and were in his power. That which was now destroyed was in effect sacrificed to the justice of God, as the God to whom vengeance belongeth; and for Saul to think the torn and the sick, the lame and the lean, good enough for that, while he reserved for his own fields and his own table the firstlings and the fat, was really to honour himself more than God.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
Copy as
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Samuel
Saul therefore commanded the people and counted them, etc. And we, in order to be able to conquer the battles of vices, must gather gentle and innocent thoughts in our heart; namely, imitators of that spotless Lamb, who deigned to redeem us with his blood from the Egypt of this world. These thoughts obeying the command of a modest spirit, because then they truly prevail against the enemy, when fortified with a twin love, that is, of God and neighbor, they walk the path of truth; when they scorn all the delights and miseries of earthly habitation with the sole hope of the heavenly denarius, rightly the foot soldiers mentioned are comprised by the number two hundred and ten: for it is no doubt that the thousandth number signifies the perfection of the thing or person being discussed.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying 1 Samuel 15:4 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
1 Samuel 15:4 meticulously records King Saul's immediate and impressive mobilization of the Israelite army at Telaim, detailing a formidable force of two hundred thousand footmen and an additional ten thousand men from the tribe of Judah. This swift assembly serves as Saul's initial, outward demonstration of obedience to the Lord's explicit command delivered through Samuel, setting the stage for a pivotal military campaign against the Amalekites and a crucial test of Saul's character and leadership in the unfolding narrative of Israel's monarchy.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices that enrich its meaning and foreshadow future events. Enumeration is prominently featured, providing precise numerical figures for the assembled forces, which lends a sense of factual reporting and emphasizes the impressive scale of Saul's mobilization. The specific mention of "two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah" also utilizes Merism, where two contrasting or complementary parts are mentioned to represent a whole, highlighting both the general Israelite force and the specific, perhaps distinct, contribution of Judah. This distinct mention of Judah functions as powerful Foreshadowing, subtly hinting at the tribe's future preeminence and its eventual role as the source of Israel's enduring monarchy through David, standing in stark Contrast to Saul's impending failure and the subsequent rejection of his lineage. The act of gathering such a massive force, while seemingly a straightforward logistical detail, sets the stage for a profound Irony: Saul's impressive initial obedience and capability will ultimately be undermined by his later partial obedience, leading to his tragic downfall and the loss of his kingdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Samuel 15:4, though outwardly a record of military logistics, is profoundly theological, serving as the initial human response to a direct divine command and setting the stage for a critical lesson on the nature of obedience. It demonstrates that God's commands often require significant human effort and mobilization of resources, but it also subtly foreshadows that outward compliance alone is insufficient for divine approval. The sheer scale of the army underscores both the seriousness of God's judgment against the Amalekites and the magnitude of the task entrusted to Saul. The separate mention of Judah subtly introduces the theme of divine election and the unfolding of God's sovereign plan, even amidst human fallibility and the eventual failure of Saul's line. This verse, therefore, is not just about military readiness but about the beginning of a crucial test of faith and leadership that will have eternal consequences for Saul and the future trajectory of Israel's monarchy.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This seemingly simple account of military logistics in 1 Samuel 15:4 carries profound implications for our lives today as followers of Christ. Saul's swift and impressive mobilization demonstrates an initial, outward act of obedience to God's command, showcasing his capacity and the nation's readiness. It reminds us that fulfilling God's purposes often requires significant effort, strategic planning, and the mobilization of resources—whether that be our time, talents, or finances—to respond to His call. However, the subsequent narrative in 1 Samuel reveals that outward compliance is not enough; God desires wholehearted, complete obedience, not just a show of force or partial adherence. Our readiness to act on God's word must be matched by a sincere heart that trusts and fully submits to His will, even when it seems difficult, costly, or counter-intuitive. This verse challenges us to examine the depth of our obedience: are we merely going through the motions, or are we truly committed to every aspect of God's revealed will, seeking to please Him above all else? It prompts us to consider that God's sovereign plans will unfold, sometimes even through our flawed efforts, but He always seeks a people whose hearts are fully devoted to Him, eager to obey completely.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the tribe of Judah mentioned separately from the other footmen?
Answer: The separate mention of "ten thousand men of Judah" is highly significant and points to Judah's unique status and future role within Israel's history. While the 200,000 footmen likely comprised soldiers from all the other tribes, Judah's distinct enumeration highlights its numerical strength and, more importantly, subtly foreshadows its future prominence. Judah was destined to become the royal tribe, from which King David would emerge, establishing a dynasty that would endure forever. This distinction subtly prepares the reader for the eventual shift in divine favor from Saul's tribe (Benjamin) to Judah, emphasizing God's sovereign plan that transcends immediate human leadership, as seen throughout the narrative of 1 Samuel and beyond. It underscores that God's long-term purposes were already being woven into the fabric of Israel's history, even in seemingly minor details.
What is the significance of the large numbers (200,000 and 10,000) mentioned in this verse?
Answer: The large numbers mentioned in 1 Samuel 15:4 signify several important aspects. Firstly, they demonstrate Saul's considerable authority and capability as a military leader, able to rally a massive fighting force from across Israel. This showcases the initial strength and potential of the unified monarchy in Israel under its first king. Secondly, the sheer scale of the army underscores the seriousness of the divine command against the Amalekites. God's judgment against them was to be absolute, and a large force was needed to execute this herem (devotion to destruction) fully and decisively. While some scholars debate if these numbers are literal or represent a hyperbolic expression of a very large and formidable army, they undeniably convey the immense scale of the mobilization and Israel's readiness for war under its first king. This impressive mobilization sets the stage for the crucial test of Saul's obedience, which ultimately determines his fate as king, as detailed throughout 1 Samuel 15.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Samuel 15:4, detailing King Saul's impressive muster for a divinely commanded war, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, though not in a literal military sense. Saul, as Israel's first king, was called to lead God's people in battle and execute divine judgment, but he ultimately failed in complete obedience, leading to his rejection. Jesus, the true and eternal King, is the perfect embodiment of obedience to God's will. Unlike Saul, who gathered an earthly army for a physical battle against a human enemy, Christ came to wage a spiritual war against sin, death, and the powers of darkness, triumphing over them decisively on the cross, as described in Colossians 2:15. He perfectly fulfilled the Father's command, even to the point of death on the cross, demonstrating unparalleled obedience (Philippians 2:8). Furthermore, the specific mention of "men of Judah" in 1 Samuel 15:4 powerfully points forward to Christ, for He is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Revelation 5:5), the one through whom God's ultimate and eternal kingdom is established. Jesus, the perfectly obedient Son, leads a spiritual host—His church—not with swords and spears, but with the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). He is the one who perfectly executes God's judgment against sin and secures the ultimate victory over spiritual enemies, ushering in an eternal reign of righteousness and peace, a far greater and more complete fulfillment of God's redemptive purposes than any earthly king could ever achieve.