1 Samuel 15 · Verse 2

1 Samuel 15:2

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.

1 Samuel 15:2, King James Version

1 Samuel 15:2 in other translations

BSB	This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they ambushed them on their way up from Egypt.
WEB	The LORD of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of Egypt.
ASV	Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.
YLT	‘Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt.
DARBY	Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I have considered what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
BBE	The Lord of armies says, I will give punishment to Amalek for what he did to Israel, fighting against him on the way when Israel came out of Egypt.
Webster	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.

What does 1 Samuel 15:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 15:2-3

2-3. Amalek--the powerful tribe which inhabited the country immediately to the eastward of the northern Cushites. Their territory extended over the whole of the eastern portion of the desert of Sinai to Rephidim--the earliest opponent (De 25:18; Ex 17:8-16)--the hereditary and restless enemy of Israel (Nu 14:45; Jud 3:13; 6:3), and who had not repented (1Sa 14:48) of their bitter and sleepless hatred during the five hundred years that had elapsed since their doom was pronounced. Being a people of nomadic habits, they were as plundering and dangerous as the Bedouin Arabs, particularly to the southern tribes. The national interest required, and God, as King of Israel, decreed that this public enemy should be removed. Their destruction was to be without reservation or exception. I remember--I am reminded of what Amalek did--perhaps by the still remaining trophy or memorial erected by Moses (Ex 17:15, 16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 I remember that which Amalek did - The Amalekites were a people of Arabia Petraea, who had occupied a tract of country on the frontiers of Egypt and Palestine. They had acted with great cruelty towards the Israelites on their coming out of Egypt. (See Exo 17:8 (note), and the notes there). They came upon them when they were faint and weary, and smote the hindermost of the people - those who were too weak to keep up with the rest. (See Deu 25:18). And God then purposed that Amalek, as a nation, should be blotted out from under heaven; which purpose was now fulfilled by Saul upwards of four hundred years afterwards!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 15:1-9

The sentence of condemnation against the Amalekites had gone forth long before, Ex 17:14; De 25:19, but they had been spared till they filled up the measure of their sins. We are sure that the righteous Lord does no injustice to any. The remembering the kindness of the ancestors of the Kenites, in favour to them, at the time God was punishing the injuries done by the ancestors of the Amalekites, tended to clear the…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 15:1-9 →

1 Samuel 15:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כֹּ֤הkohthusH3541

אָמַר֙'a.Marhe saysH559

יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068

צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635

פָּקַ֕דְתִּיpa.Kad.tiI have paid attention toH6485

אֵ֛ת'et<obj.>H853

אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-[that] whichH834

עָשָׂ֥ה'a.Sahit didH6213

עֲמָלֵ֖ק'a.ma.LekAmalekH6002

לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לle.Yis.ra.'Elto IsraelH3478

אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-[that] whichH834

שָׂ֥םsamit setH7760

לוֹ֙loto <the> it

בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְba.De.rekhon the wayH1870

בַּעֲלֹת֖וֹba.'a.lo.Towhen came up itH5927

מִמִּצְרָֽיִם\׃mi.mitz.Ra.yimfrom EgyptH4714

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 15:2

Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
Numbers 24:20
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
Exodus 17:8-16
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. …
Hosea 7:2
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
Amos 8:7
The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I remember.
Jer 31:34; Ho 7:2; Am 8:7
Amalek.
Ex 17:8-16; Nu 24:20; De 25:17-19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Samuel 15:1
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.
1 Samuel 15:2
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.
1 Samuel 15:3
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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 15

1 Samuel 15:2 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Así ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos: Acuérdome de lo que hizo Amalec á Israel; que se le opuso en el camino, cuando subía de Egipto.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ainsi dit l’ Éternel des armées: J’ai considéré ce qu’Amalek a fait à Israël, comment il se plaça contre lui sur le chemin quand il montait d’Égypte.
German Elberfelder 1871	So spricht Jehova der Heerscharen: Ich habe angesehen, was Amalek Israel getan, wie er sich ihm in den Weg gestellt hat, als es aus Ägypten heraufzog.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Recensui quæcumque fecit Amalec Israëli: quomodo restitit ei in via cum ascenderet de Ægypto.