Who was Agag in the bible?
Agag is named as “the king of the Amalekites” in 1 Samuel 15 and is mentioned comparatively in Numbers 24:7.
Captured by Saul
“He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive” (1 Samuel 15:8). “Saul and the people spared Agag” (1 Samuel 15:9).
Learn More →Death at Gilgal
Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” (1 Samuel 15:32). “Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal” (1 Samuel 15:33).
Learn More →Agag is presented as “the king of the Amalekites” whom Saul captured during Israel’s war against Amalek and whom Samuel later executed at Gilgal. A lexicon gloss also describes “Agag” as a title associated with Amalekite kings.
Agag in Scripture
Agag appears most fully in the narrative of 1 Samuel 15, in the context of Yahweh’s command (spoken through Samuel) for Saul to attack Amalek and “utterly destroy” them.
“Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:3, WEB)
Saul carried out a military campaign against Amalek, and in the course of it Agag is identified by name as the captured Amalekite king.
“He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.” (1 Samuel 15:8, WEB)
However, Saul and the people did not complete the command as stated; Agag is singled out as one of the spared items, along with the best livestock.
“But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.” (1 Samuel 15:9, WEB)
The narrative then frames Saul’s sparing of Agag within Yahweh’s displeasure toward Saul.
“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” (1 Samuel 15:11, WEB)
When Samuel confronted Saul, Saul claimed obedience while still describing Agag as a captive whom he had brought back.
“Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed Yahweh’s voice, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.” (1 Samuel 15:20, WEB)
The chapter’s confrontation emphasizes that Saul’s campaign included plunder, and Samuel rebuked Saul for not obeying Yahweh’s voice. The narrative’s climax for Agag comes after Saul’s interaction with Samuel and Saul’s worship at Gilgal (1 Samuel 15:31). Samuel then called for Agag to be brought to him.
“Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” (1 Samuel 15:32, WEB)
Agag’s brief speech is followed immediately by Samuel’s pronouncement and execution of Agag “before Yahweh in Gilgal.” Samuel explicitly grounds his action in a judgment tied to Agag’s violence (“your sword”), and then carries it out.
“Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:33, WEB)
Outside 1 Samuel 15, the name Agag appears in a comparison within an oracle in Numbers 24.
“Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted.” (Numbers 24:7, WEB)
In this verse, “Agag” functions as a benchmark for royal height or prominence: “His king shall be higher than Agag.” The text does not explain further who this Agag is in that setting, but it assumes the name signifies a king whose status could serve as a reference point.
Name and Meaning
The name is written in Hebrew as אֲגַג and transliterated ’Agag (pronounced ag-ag). A lexicon derives the name from an uncertain source and associates it with the idea “flame,” also noting comparison with another entry and a component word listed as “Age” (אָגֵא), described there as an Israelite. The same lexicon gloss identifies “Agag” as a title connected with Amalekite kings.
Observation
In 1 Samuel 15, Agag is the spared Amalekite king (1 Samuel 15:9) whose fate becomes part of the account’s focus on obedience to Yahweh’s command (1 Samuel 15:3), ending with Samuel’s execution of Agag at Gilgal (1 Samuel 15:33).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Agag mean?
Agag is given the meaning “flame.”
How many times does Agag appear in the Bible?
Agag appears 6 times.
Who was Agag?
Agag is described as a title of Amalekitish kings, and he is called “the king of the Amalekites” (1 Samuel 15:8).
What happened to Agag in 1 Samuel 15?
Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” (1 Samuel 15:32), and then “Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal” (1 Samuel 15:33).
Explore Further
If you found this page about Agag interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
