Lectionary Calendar
Monday, September 1st, 2025
the Week of Proper 17 / Ordinary 22
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Read the Bible

Hebrew Names Version

1 Samuel 15:14

Shemu'el said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Agency;   Amalekites;   Church and State;   Falsehood;   Gilgal;   Minister, Christian;   Presumption;   Repentance;   Reproof;   Rulers;   Self-Righteousness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Saul, King of Israel;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amalekites, the;   Ox, the;   Sheep;   Sin;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Amalekites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gilgal;   Samuel;   Saul, king of israel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Hear, Hearing;   Mediator, Mediation;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Sin;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Agag;   Amalek, Amalekites;   Ban;   Israel;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Agag ;   Amalek, Amalekites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mordecai;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Agag;   Amalek;   Saul;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Saul;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Parashiyyot, the Four;   Repentance;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?”
King James Version
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
Lexham English Bible
But Samuel said, "Then what is this bleating of the sheep that I hear in my ears and the lowing of the cattle that I am hearing?"
English Standard Version
And Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?"
New Century Version
But Samuel said, "Then why do I hear cattle mooing and sheep bleating?"
New English Translation
Samuel replied, "If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?"
Amplified Bible
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
New American Standard Bible
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the bellowing of the oxen which I hear?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
But Samuel saide, What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?
Legacy Standard Bible
But Samuel said, "What then is this sound of the sheep in my ears and the sound of the oxen which I am hearing?"
Contemporary English Version
"Then why," Samuel asked, "do I hear sheep and cattle?"
Complete Jewish Bible
But Sh'mu'el answered, "If so, why do I hear sheep bleating and cows mooing?"
Darby Translation
And Samuel said, What [means] then this bleating of sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of oxen which I hear?
Easy-to-Read Version
But Samuel said, "Then what is that sound I hear? Why do I hear sheep and cattle?"
George Lamsa Translation
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?
Good News Translation
Samuel asked, "Why, then, do I hear cattle mooing and sheep bleating?"
Literal Translation
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears, and the sound of the herd that I hear?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Samuel answered: What crye is this then of shepe in myne eares, and the crye of oxen which I heare?
American Standard Version
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
Bible in Basic English
And Samuel said, What then is this sound of the crying of sheep and the noise of oxen which comes to my ears?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Samuel sayde: What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Samuel said: 'What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'
King James Version (1611)
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Samuel said, What then is the bleating of this flock in my ears, and the sound of the oxen which I hear?
English Revised Version
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
Berean Standard Bible
But Samuel replied, "Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Samuel seide, And what is the vois of flockis, that sowneth in myn eeris, and of grete beestis, whiche Y here?
Young's Literal Translation
And Samuel saith, `And what [is] the noise of this flock in mine ears -- and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?'
Update Bible Version
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
World English Bible
Samuel said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
New King James Version
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
New Living Translation
"Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?" Samuel demanded.
New Life Bible
But Samuel said, "Then why do I hear the sounds of sheep and cattle?"
New Revised Standard
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep, in mine ears, - and the lowing of oxen, which I can hear?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Samuel said: What meaneth then this bleating of the flocks, which soundeth in my ears, and the lowing of the herds, which I hear?
Revised Standard Version
And Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
THE MESSAGE
Samuel said, "So what's this I'm hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"

Contextual Overview

10 Then came the word of the LORD to Shemu'el, saying, 11 It repents me that I have set up Sha'ul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my mitzvot. Shemu'el was angry; and he cried to the LORD all night. 12 Shemu'el rose early to meet Sha'ul in the morning; and it was told Shemu'el, saying, Sha'ul came to Karmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. 13 Shemu'el came to Sha'ul; and Sha'ul said to him, Blessed are you by the LORD: I have performed the mitzvah of the LORD. 14 Shemu'el said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 Sha'ul said, They have brought them from the `Amaleki: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16 Then Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me this night. He said to him, Say on. 17 Shemu'el said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Yisra'el? the LORD anointed you king over Yisra'el; 18 and the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the `Amaleki, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19 Why then didn't you obey the voice of the LORD, but flew on the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What meaneth: Psalms 36:2, Psalms 50:16-21, Jeremiah 2:18, Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 2:22, Jeremiah 2:23, Jeremiah 2:34-37, Malachi 3:13-15, Luke 19:22, Romans 3:19, 1 Corinthians 4:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:29 - General Numbers 20:11 - smote Numbers 31:14 - wroth Judges 16:15 - when thine Psalms 36:1 - The transgression Proverbs 16:2 - the ways Proverbs 28:4 - but Proverbs 30:12 - that are Luke 15:29 - Lo Acts 21:13 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Avram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Avram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
Genesis 15:2
Avram said, "Lord GOD, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eli`ezer of Dammesek?"
Genesis 15:4
Behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."
Genesis 15:5
The LORD brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Avram, "So shall your seed be."
Genesis 15:6
He believed in the LORD; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 15:7
He said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Kasdim, to give you this land to inherit it."
Genesis 15:9
He said to him, "Take me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon."
Genesis 15:11
The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Avram drove them away.
Genesis 15:14
I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great substance.
Genesis 15:18
In that day the LORD made a covenant with Avram, saying, "To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Mitzrayim to the great river, the river Perat:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Samuel said, what meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears,.... For the orders were to destroy all living creatures belonging to the Amalekites, 1 Samuel 15:3 if therefore Saul had performed the commandment of the Lord, as he said he had, from whence were these sheep Samuel heard bleating?

and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? where do they come from? these questions he put to convict him of the falsehood he had delivered; the bleating and lowing of these creatures proved him a liar, and were witnesses of his breach of the divine command; and one would think every bleating and lowing of these must alarm his conscience, unless dreadfully stupefied.


 
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