I Samuel 15

1. And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of the LORD.

2. Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for that which he did to Israel, how he set against him in the way when he came up from Egypt.

3. Now go and strike Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

4. And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.

5. And Saul came to a city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.

6. And Saul said to the Kenites, “Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7. And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah, as you come to Shur, which is over across from Egypt.

8. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive. And he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed.

10. And the word of the LORD came to Samuel saying,

11. “It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.

12. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal.”

13. And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, “You are blessed of the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”

14. And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear?”

15. And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed.”

16. And Samuel said to Saul, “Stay and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me tonight.” And he said to him, “Speak on.”

17. And Samuel said, “When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel.

18. And the LORD sent you on the way and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until you destroy them.’

19. Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you fly upon the spoil and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”

20. And Saul said to Samuel, “Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.

21. But the people took from the spoil, of the flock and herd, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”

22. And Samuel said, “Does the LORD have as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To hearken is better than the fat of rams,

23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king!”

24. And Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed the commandment of the LORD and your word because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

25. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship the LORD.”

26. And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

27. And as Samuel turned around to go, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

28. And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

29. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent.”

30. Then he said, “I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship the LORD your God.”

31. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

32. And Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is at hand.”

33. And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

34. And Samuel went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

35. And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.