THEOSISEphraem the Syrian
For Your sake, Annas cherished Samuel with great fervor, for Your truth resided within him when he killed Agag as if he were a fiend. (i.e., Samuel serves as a precursor to Christ the Judge)
1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 15:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And Samuel said: As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed him in pieces before the Lord in Galgal.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכְּלָ֤ה נָשִׁים֙ חַרְבֶּ֔ךָ כֵּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ל מִנָּשִׁ֖ים אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיְשַׁסֵּ֨ף שְׁמוּאֵ֧ל אֶת־אֲגָ֛ג לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Theodoret of Cyrus
Why did the prophet put Agag to death? For the same reason that Phinehas did (Num. 25:8). Because all that God commands is worthy of respect.
Dimitri of Rostov
Samuel executed Agag in Gilgal as an act of obedience to the Lord's directive, rather than out of cruelty.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Judg 1:7And Adonibezec said: Seventy kings, having their fingers and toes cut off, gathered up the leavings of the meat under my table: as I have done, so hath God requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
- Gen 9:6Whosoever shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed: for man was made to the image of God.
- Matt 7:2For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
- Rev 18:6Render to her as she also hath rendered to you: and double unto her double, according to her works. In the cup wherein she hath mingled, mingle ye double unto her.
- Rev 16:6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets: and thou hast given them blood to drink. For they are worthy.
- Jas 2:13For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy. And mercy exalteth itself above judgment.
- Num 14:45And the Amalecite came down, and the Chanaanite that dwelt in the mountain: and smiting and slaying them pursued them as far as Horma.
- Num 25:7And when Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saw it, he rose up from the midst of the multitude, and taking a dagger,