1 Samuel 15:33

WEB

Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!" Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

KJV

And Samuel said, As the sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

Commentary

And Samuel said, as thy sword hath made women childless,.... Or, "bereaved (s)" them, not of their children only, but of their husbands also, and so made them both childless and widows; by which it appears that he was a cruel prince, and justly died for his own barbarity and wickedness, as well as for the sins of his ancest ors four hundred years ago: so shall thy mother be childless among women; which was according to the law of retaliation, and what the Jews call measure for measure: and Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal; either before the ark of the Lord, the symbol of the divine Presence; or before the altar, where Saul and the people had been sacrificing; this he did either himself, though an old man, or by others to whom he gave the orders; and which he did not as being the chief magistrate, and by virtue of his office, but acting as on a special occasion, at the command of God, and to show his zeal for him, and indignation at such a breach of his command. In what manner this was done, is not easy to say; he was not torn to pieces by the hand, without an instrument, as Baebius by the Romans (t); or sawn asunder, as some by Caligula (u); and as Isaiah the prophet is said to be by Manasseh, king of Judah, to which it is thought the apostle alludes, Heb 11:37 . According to Ben Gersom, the word signifies he cleaved him, as wood is cleaved; or divided him into four parts, as Jarchi; perhaps he slew him with the sword, and then quartered him; that is, ordered it to be done. (s) "orbavit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, &c. (t) Flori Hist. l. 3. c. 21. (u) Sueton. in Vita ejus, c. 27.