Saul disobeyed God, so the prophecy was fulfilled and his kingdom was torn from him.
When the prophet Samuel, appearing to Saul as a spirit, explains the reason for Saul’s impending downfall, he proclaims, “As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day” (v.18). Here, the verse shows that Saul, who reigned as Israel’s king from about 1050 to 1010 BC, was under God’s judgment. Earlier, Saul had been instructed to destroy the nation of Amalek to carry out divine justice against them, because the Amalekites had attacked the Israelites from behind during the Exodus (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19). Amalek was located in the southern desert region, and they had historically waged cruel assaults on Israel (Exodus 17:8-14; 1 Samuel 15:2; 28:18). Saul did not completely destroy the Amalekites or their king—an explicit violation of the LORD’s command—and tried to offer excuses when confronted. The prophet Samuel then tells him that the consequence of his disobedience would be grave; it amounts to the LORD rejecting Saul as king (1 Samuel 15:26).
When Samuel says, “As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day” (v.18), he underscores that God values obedience more than any outward display of religiosity. This covers the principle found in 1 Samuel 15:22, which reads, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” Saul’s unwillingness to “execute His fierce wrath on Amalek” showed that he chose to lead according to his own judgment and the approval of the people over God’s specific will. Because of his defiance, Saul forfeited the leadership that God had granted him. He would eventually lose the kingdom to a worthy shepherd, David, who was chosen because of his heart toward God (1 Samuel 13:14). God reigns as ultimate King, and He allows human rulers to govern only so long as they align with His ways, a theme repeated throughout Scripture (Romans 13:1). Here, Saul neglected that principle, causing Samuel to declare the divine decree upon him.
Moreover, the Amalekite incident is remembered in Scripture as a sign that God would faithfully protect His people from fierce enemies. Saul’s failure to carry out God’s command mirrored Israel’s broader temptation to ignore God’s instructions in favor of convenience and prestige. Because of this, Samuel states that Saul’s downfall—his kingdom and even his life—would be taken away. Indeed, not long after this, Saul and his sons die in battle (1 Samuel 31), thus fulfilling Samuel’s fateful words.
Set to dark mode
1 Samuel 28:18 meaning
When the prophet Samuel, appearing to Saul as a spirit, explains the reason for Saul’s impending downfall, he proclaims, “As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day” (v.18). Here, the verse shows that Saul, who reigned as Israel’s king from about 1050 to 1010 BC, was under God’s judgment. Earlier, Saul had been instructed to destroy the nation of Amalek to carry out divine justice against them, because the Amalekites had attacked the Israelites from behind during the Exodus (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19). Amalek was located in the southern desert region, and they had historically waged cruel assaults on Israel (Exodus 17:8-14; 1 Samuel 15:2; 28:18). Saul did not completely destroy the Amalekites or their king—an explicit violation of the LORD’s command—and tried to offer excuses when confronted. The prophet Samuel then tells him that the consequence of his disobedience would be grave; it amounts to the LORD rejecting Saul as king (1 Samuel 15:26).
When Samuel says, “As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day” (v.18), he underscores that God values obedience more than any outward display of religiosity. This covers the principle found in 1 Samuel 15:22, which reads, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” Saul’s unwillingness to “execute His fierce wrath on Amalek” showed that he chose to lead according to his own judgment and the approval of the people over God’s specific will. Because of his defiance, Saul forfeited the leadership that God had granted him. He would eventually lose the kingdom to a worthy shepherd, David, who was chosen because of his heart toward God (1 Samuel 13:14). God reigns as ultimate King, and He allows human rulers to govern only so long as they align with His ways, a theme repeated throughout Scripture (Romans 13:1). Here, Saul neglected that principle, causing Samuel to declare the divine decree upon him.
Moreover, the Amalekite incident is remembered in Scripture as a sign that God would faithfully protect His people from fierce enemies. Saul’s failure to carry out God’s command mirrored Israel’s broader temptation to ignore God’s instructions in favor of convenience and prestige. Because of this, Samuel states that Saul’s downfall—his kingdom and even his life—would be taken away. Indeed, not long after this, Saul and his sons die in battle (1 Samuel 31), thus fulfilling Samuel’s fateful words.