שמואל א טו

Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one GOD sent to anoint you king over Israel—God’s people. Therefore, listen to GOD’s command!

“Thus said GOD of Hosts: I am exacting the penalty for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt.

Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys!”

Saul mustered the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 as Judah’s contingent.

Then Saul advanced as far as the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the wadi.

Saul said to the Kenites, “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.

Saul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt,

and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He proscribed all the people, putting them to the sword;

but Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born, the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not proscribe them; they proscribed only what was cheap and worthless.

The word of GOD then came to Samuel:

“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated GOD all night long.

Early in the morning Samuel went to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, where he erected a monument for himself; then he left and went on down to Gilgal.”

When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of GOD! I have fulfilled GOD’s command.”

“Then what,” demanded Samuel, “is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?”

Saul answered, “They were brought from the Amalekites, for the troops spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen for sacrificing to the ETERNAL your God. And we proscribed the rest.”

Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what GOD said to me last night!” “Speak,” he replied.

And Samuel said, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Israel. GOD anointed you king over Israel,

and GOD sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and proscribe the sinful Amalekites; make war on them until you have exterminated them.’

Why did you disobey GOD and swoop down on the spoil in defiance of GOD’s will?”

Saul said to Samuel, “But I did obey GOD! I performed the mission on which GOD sent me: I captured King Agag of Amalek, and I proscribed Amalek,

and the troops took from the spoil some sheep and oxen—the best of what had been proscribed—to sacrifice to the ETERNAL your God at Gilgal.”

But Samuel said:
“Does GOD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As much as in obedience to GOD’s command?
Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice,
Compliance than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
Defiance, like the iniquity of oracle idols.
Because you rejected GOD’s command,
[God] has rejected you as king.”

Saul said to Samuel, “I did wrong to transgress GOD’s command and your instructions; but I was afraid of the troops and I yielded to them.

Please, forgive my offense and come back with me, and I will bow low to GOD.”

But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected GOD’s command, and GOD has rejected you as king over Israel.”

As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore.

And Samuel said to him, “GOD has this day torn the kingship over Israel away from you and has given it to another who is worthier than you.

Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not deceive or have a change of heart, for [God] is not human to have a change of heart.”

But [Saul] pleaded, “I did wrong. Please, honor me in the presence of the elders of my people and in the presence of Israel, and come back with me until I have bowed low to the ETERNAL your God.”

So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul bowed low to GOD.

Samuel said, “Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag approached him with faltering steps;, “to falter”; cf. Septuagint. and Agag said, “Ah, bitter death is at hand!”

Samuel said:
“As your sword has bereaved women,
So shall your mother be bereaved among women.”
And Samuel cut Agag down before GOD at Gilgal.

Samuel then departed for Ramah, and Saul went up to his home at Gibeah of Saul.

Samuel never saw Saul again to the day of his death. But Samuel grieved over Saul, because GOD regretted having made Saul king over Israel.