Shaul's Sin in the Battle with Amalek/2

Shaul Loses the Kingship

Exegetical Approaches

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Religious Sin

Shaul's failure in the Battle of Amalek was religious in nature.  His actions betrayed a problem in his relationship to Hashem.

Sources:Bavli YomaYoma 22bAbout the Bavli, RadakShemuel I 15:3Shemuel I 15:12Shemuel I 15:15Shemuel I 15:17Shemuel I 15:23About R. David Kimchi, Yalkut ShimoniShemuel I 121About Yalkut Shimoni, RalbagShemuel I 15:6-23About R. Levi b. Gershom, AbarbanelShemuel I 14, Questions 2-4Shemuel I 15:1Shemuel I 15:14-15Shemuel I 15:23Shemuel I 15:26About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, BiurShemuel I 15:23About the Biur (Netivot HaShalom), MalbimShemuel I 15:4-5About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

What was problematic? Most of these sources suggest that in taking from the spoils of battle, Shaul demonstrated that he viewed himself as above Hashem, but they vary in the details:

• No recognition of Hashem's role – Setting aside the spoils for Hashem would have proclaimed that the nation won the battle only due to Hashem's help. By taking of the animals Shaul intimated that the nation did not need Hashem, and that he was the true victor. He sinned in thinking "כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָׂה לִי אֶת הַחַיִל הַזֶּה".
• Shaul thought he knew better than Hashem – Bavli Yoma and Yalkut Shimoni blame Shaul for thinking that he could decide who needs to be punished or saved on his own, as if he were more merciful than Hashem.¹ They contrast his mercy on his enemies here, with his extreme cruelty to the priests of Nov, demonstrating that Shaul's personal morals were not up to par.²
• Not heeding Hashem's command – Alternatively, Shaul's sin was simply the fact that he did not heed Hashem's command. As Hashem had said to destroy all of Amalek, sparing even just one person or a few sheep violated the directive. Kings must realize that they are subservient to a greater King and cannot simply do as they desire.
• No sanctification of Hashem – Finally, Ralbag and Abarbanel claim that by taking of the spoils war, Shaul made it appear that the battle was fought for conquest and gain rather than to avenge Amalek's attack on Israel.  As such, he failed to sanctify Hashem's name.

Severity of the punishment – Shaul betrayed a crucial flaw in his kingship, the lack of recognition that an Israelite king, despite his power, is still subservient to Hashem's will and succeeds only due to Hashem's help  As such, he deserved to lose his position.

"וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל" – Shemuel's rebuke to Shaul focuses on the animals because that was the most problematic aspect of Shaul's behavior. The text highlights this by using the same language when describing this action, "וְלֹא אָבוּ הַחֲרִימָם" as when presenting the original command: "וְהַחֲרַמְתֶּם אֶת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ".

Other examples of prohibited booty

• Yericho – It is possible that the ban on taking from the spoils of Yericho (Yehoshua 6:17-18) was also meant to show that Hashem was behind the victory.  It is for that reason that Akhan (like Shaul) was punished so severely when he transgressed the command.
• Esther – Rabag asserts that the people did not take from the spoils of battle in the time of Mordechai and Esther (Esther 9:15-16) because they, too, fought against Amalek, and wanted to declare that the war was not fought for personal gain but out of revenge against Hashem's enemy.

Comparison to David's war with Amalek – One may question this approach from David's action during his battle with Amalek (Shemuel I 30).  There, the verses elaborate regarding the many spoils David took from Amalek and divided among his men.  David is not censured for the deed making it puzzling why Shaul deserved to lose the kingship for the very same action.  These sources might reply that at that point David was not yet the official king and, moreover, he had not received an explicit command to consecrate the spoils.

Not killing Agag – Leaving Agag alive was another manifestation of the same problem. Shaul thought that he, as king and victor, could decide who was to live or die, forgetting that the battle was Hashem's while Shaul was but a servant.

"וְהִנֵּה מַצִּיב לוֹ יָד" – Shaul's decision to setup a victory monument for himself³ further demonstrates how Shaul viewed himself, rather than Hashem, as the true winner of the war. This is highlighted when one contrasts his memorial with that in the original battle against Amalek, where Moshe builds an altar to Hashem and declares, "כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ מִלְחָמָה לַיהֹוָה בַּעֲמָלֵק" (Shemot 17).⁴

"הִנֵּה שְׁמֹעַ מִזֶּבַח טוֹב" – In these words Shemuel chides Shaul for not obeying Hashem's command, pointing out that even if the animals were sacrificed to correct having left them alive, the main issue was Shaul's lack of obedience.

Relationship to Shaul's sin of Chapter 13 – According to this approach, Shaul's sin in the two chapters might have been identical. In Michmas, Shaul had not waited for Shemuel as commanded by Hashem, since he feared that he would lose his army, forgetting that "לֹא בְכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ". War is won by Hashem, not man.  In addition, his non-adherence to Hashem's command betrays his attitude that he need not to Hashem's authority.

David versus Shaul – As opposed to Shaul who forgets that success is only due to Hashem, David earns his kingship by fighting Golyat and declaring his recognition of this very fact.  He tells Golyat, "אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן וְאָנֹכִי בָא אֵלֶיךָ בְּשֵׁם י"י צְבָאוֹת".

Military Blunder

Shaul's battle was limited in scope. Instead of obliterating all of the Amalekites, he paused in the midst of battle allowing much of the enemy to go unharmed.

Sources:Hoil MosheShemuel I 15:3Shemuel I 15:5About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi, R"Y Bin-Nun⁵

Severity of Shaul's sin – According to this approach, Hashem is angry because a substantial portion of Amalekites were not killed. Shaul did not even come close to fulfilling Hashem's command.

"מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר" – This approach must reinterpret verse 7, from which it sounds as if Shaul fought Amalek in a comprehensive manner:

• According to the Hoil Moshe, Shaul killed Amalek within the borders "מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר", but he only attacked the permanent dwellers who lived under the rule of Agag, leaving alive the nomadic majority.⁶ 
• Yoel Bin-Nun, in contrast, assumes that "מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר" describes the borders in which Amalek lived but not the area which Shaul attacked.⁷  Shaul fought in a much more limited area.

Evidence of surviving Amalakites – The fact that David fights against Amalekites in Shemuel I 30 serves as evidence that Shaul left over a significant number of Amalekites, and not just Agag.⁸

Why didn't Shaul finish the battle?

• "וְהִנֵּה מַצִּיב לוֹ יָד" – According to the Hoil Moshe, after the initial battle against Agag, Shaul took a break, returning to Israel and the Carmel⁹ to set up a victory monument.  This is what allowed the rest of the Amalekites to flee.
• "וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל" – Yoel b. Nun asserts that the desire to take from the spoils is what prevented Shaul from finishing the battle.¹⁰

Not destroying the animals – According to this approach, Shaul did not really sin in leaving over the animals since he meant to sacrifice them to Hashem. The Hoil Moshe explains that in so doing he was following the laws of חֵרֶם as laid out in Vayikra 27:28, "כׇּל חֵרֶם קֹדֶשׁ קׇדָשִׁים הוּא לַי"י".  As such, Shaul can honestly say of himself "הֲקִימֹתִי אֶת דְּבַר י"י".  The only problem with taking from the spoils was the timing. The people should have waited until the end of the war rather than interrupting and losing the momentum of battle.

"וּמֶה קוֹל הַצֹּאן הַזֶּה בְּאׇזְנָי" – This approach must explain why Shemuel repeatedly suggests that taking the animals was a problem, if that was not the main issue.  Yoel b.Nun responds that Shemuel himself had not been told what the specific sin was, only that Hashem was disappointed in Shaul.¹¹ He merely guessed that it related to the leftover cattle, but was mistaken.

"הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אֶת אֲגַג" – Hoil Moshe understands that Shaul was planning on killing Agag.  He only initially took him captive so as to brag about him in front of the nation.

Shaul vs. David – David finishes what Shaul began.  As Shaul fights his last battle against the Philistines and meets his death, David battles Amalek.  Unlike Shaul, he fights until "לֹא נִמְלַט מֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי אִם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ" (Shemuel I 30:17), earning him kingship.¹²

Relationship to sin at the Battle of Michmas

"כִּי חַטַּאת קֶסֶם מֶרִי"

Political Failing

Shaul's handling of the battle portrayed a lack of leadership qualities.  Rather than guiding the nation, he was guided by them.

Sources:R. Yosef Alboר' יוסף אלבו, ספר העיקרים ד':כ"וAbout R. Yosef Albo

"רֹאשׁ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָתָּה"

¹ This position might find support from the fact that already in Hashem's directive, He warns, "וְלֹא תַחְמֹל עָלָיו".  Similarly, in describing Shaul's actions, the text states, "וַיַּחְמֹל שָׁאוּל וְהָעָם עַל אֲגָג וְעַל מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר".

² The verses highlight the contrast between the two stories by using similar language.  Hashem commanded Shaul to utterly destroy Amalek, "וְהֵמַתָּה מֵאִישׁ עַד אִשָּׁה מֵעֹלֵל וְעַד יוֹנֵק מִשּׁוֹר וְעַד שֶׂה מִגָּמָל וְעַד חֲמוֹר". Though he did not listen to that directive out of "mercy", by Nov we are told that he had no issue with such comprehensive slaughter: "וְאֵת נֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים הִכָּה לְפִי חֶרֶב מֵאִישׁ וְעַד אִשָּׁה מֵעוֹלֵל וְעַד יוֹנֵק וְשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר וָשֶׂה לְפִי חָרֶב."

³ It should be noted that not all of these sources read this action negatively. while Radak notes that Shaul gathered his men to divide up the booty, Ralbag asserts that Shaul came to give thanks to Hashem for his help in the war. However, the language of "הִנֵּה מַצִּיב לוֹ יָד", suggests that Shaul made the memorial for himself.

⁴ See also Shemuel's setting aside of a stone to mark Hashem's help in the battle against the Philistines: " וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶבֶן אַחַת... וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמָהּ אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר וַיֹּאמַר עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרָנוּ י"י".

⁵ See article cited above.

⁶ The Hoil Moshe assumes that the Amalekites were composed of many individual groups, some of which were under the leadership of Agag, but many of whom were under the rule of others.  Shaul attacked the city-state of Agag, but left the others in peace.

⁷ According to him, the verse should read, "וַיַּךְ שָׁאוּל אֶת עֲמָלֵק [אשר גר] מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר".  To prove that his is where they lived, he quotes the parallel verse by David's battle with Amalek, "כִּי הֵנָּה יֹשְׁבוֹת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּרָה וְעַד אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם" (Shemuel I 27:8) and notes that David, too, did not fight in that whole area, but he at least defeated them.

⁸ Others might explain that Amalek is simply a term used to denote nomadic tribes and not all were related to the Amalekites who attacked the Israelites in the Wilderness. As such, it is possible that the Amalekites whom David fought had not been included in the command.

⁹ Hoil Moshe asserts that this refers to a city in Yehuda and not the Carmel which is up North.

¹⁰ Yoel b. Nun contrasts Shaul here with his actions during the battle of Michmas where he had warned the people not to take from the booty so that they could finish the war. Yonatan there points out, "לוּא אָכֹל אָכַל הַיּוֹם הָעָם מִשְּׁלַל אֹיְבָיו אֲשֶׁר מָצָא כִּי עַתָּה לֹא רָבְתָה מַכָּה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים" (Shemuel I 14:30).  Another historical example can be found in Maccabees I 4:16-25 where Yehuda similarly warns the people first to finish the battle and only afterwards to take from the spoils of war.  Yehoshua's request that the sun stand still in Yehoshua 10 reflects a similar realization that pausing in the midst of battle can ultimately result in not being able to decimate one's enemies.

¹¹ See Abarbanel who precedes him on this point.

¹² There are several other parallels between the stories.  David, like Shaul, also fights with 600 men. Unlike Shaul, however, despite the pressure, David still asks Hashem via the Efod what to do.  In addition while the nation "flies upon the spoils" in Shaul's battle, by David there is an orderly division thereof.