1 Samuel 15:23Easy To Read VersionRefusing to obey is as bad as the sin of sorcery. [139] Being stubborn and doing what you want is like the sin of worshiping idols. You refused to obey the Lord’s command. For this reason, the Lord now refuses to accept you as king.” See the chapter |
“And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve God with a pure heart. Be happy in your heart (mind) to serve God. Why? Because the Lord knows what is in every person’s heart (mind). The Lord understands everything you think. If you go to the Lord for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from the Lord, he will leave you forever.
Some people say, “Ask the fortune tellers and wizards what to do.” (These fortune tellers and wizards whisper and make sounds like birds \{to make people think that they know secret things\}.) \{But I tell you that\} people should ask their God \{for help\}! Those fortune tellers and wizards ask dead people what to do. Why should living people ask something from the dead?
Because Shemaiah has done that, this is what the Lord says: I will soon punish Shemaiah, the man from the Nehelam family. I will completely destroy his family. And he will not share in the good things I will do for my people.’” This message is from the Lord. “‘I will punish Shemaiah because he has taught the people to turn against the Lord.’”
But the people who are cowards, people who refuse to believe, people who do terrible things, people who kill, people who sin sexually, people who do evil magic, people who worship idols, {\cf2\super [159]} and people who tell lies—all those people will have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you feel sorry for Saul? You are feeling sorry for him, even after I told you that I refuse to let Saul be the king of Israel! Fill your horn [141] with oil and go to Bethlehem. I am sending you to a man named Jesse. Jesse lives in Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be the new king.”