Thy sword hath made women childless; whereby it appears that he was a cruel tyrant, and guilty of really bloody actions, and that towards God's people, though it be not related elsewhere. And this seems to be added for the fuller vindication of God's justice, and to show, that although God did at this time remember and revenge a crime committed by this man's ancestors four hundred years ago, yet he did not punish an innocent son for his father's crimes, but one that allowed and persisted in the same evil courses. Samuel hewed Agag in pieces by Divine instinct, and in pursuance of God's express and particular command, above, 1 Samuel 15:3, which being sinfully neglected by Saul, is now executed by Samuel. See the like example 1 Kings 18:40. But these are no precedents for private persons to take the sword of justice into their hands; for we must live by thee laws of God, and not by extraordinary examples. Before the Lord; either before the ark, which, it seems, Saul carried with him in this, as he did in his former expedition, 1 Samuel 14:18; or before God's altar; or in the public assembly.
Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 15:33
1 Samuel 15:33
33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.