A character from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Agag the king of the Amalekites was spared by Saul despite a direct order from God to completely destroy the Amalekites. Because of his disobediance God removed his support of Saul's kingship. In the end Agag was killed by Samuel anyways. (See 1 Samuel 15)

AGAG
(ay' gag) HEBREW: AGAG
possibly "flame" or "to become angry"
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This name may have been a title for the kings of the Amalekites, a nomadic people who attacked the Israelites immediately after their departure from Egypt. Nearly two centuries later the prophet Samuel sent King Saul to destroy the Amalekites as punishment for that attack. Even though Samuel had ordered Saul to destroy every living thing, he spared their king. When Samuel discovered that the defeated king still lived, he himself "hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord" (1 Sam. 15:33). Saul's disobedience triggered the final break between the prophet and the man he had anointed king over Israel.

{E2 Dictionary of Biblical People}

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