1 Samuel 15

Saul’s Disobedience

1Then Samuel said to Saul, “1The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the 2words of the Lord. 2This is what the Lord of armies says: ‘I will 3punish Amalek 4for what he did to Israel, in that he obstructed him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek and 5completely destroy everything that he has, and do not spare him; but 6put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

4Then Saul summoned the people and 7counted them in 8Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the 9wadi. 6But Saul said to 10the Kenites, “Go, get away, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for 11you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they went up from Egypt.” So the Kenites got away from among the Amalekites. 7Then 12Saul 13defeated the Amalekites, from 14Havilah 15going toward 16Shur, which is 17east of Egypt. 8He captured 18Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and 19completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people 20spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the more valuable animals, the lambs, and everything that was good, and were unwilling to destroy them completely; but everything despicable and weak, that they completely destroyed.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11“21I regret that I have made Saul king, because 22he has turned back from 23following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was furious and 24cried out to the Lord all night. 12Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was reported to Samuel, saying, “Saul came to 25Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on 26down to 27Gilgal.” 13So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “28Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14But Samuel said, “29What then is this 30bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the 31bellowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for 32the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have completely destroyed.” 16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop, and let me inform you of what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”

17So Samuel said, “33Is it not true, 34though you were 35insignificant in your own eyes, that you became the head of the tribes of Israel? For the Lord anointed you as king over Israel. 18And the Lord sent you on a 36mission, and said, ‘37Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.’ 19Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? 38Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!”

20Then Saul said to Samuel, “39I did obey the voice of the Lord, for I went on the 40mission on which the Lord sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21But 41the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things designated for destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22Samuel said, “42Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, 43to obey is better than a sacrifice, And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.23For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of 44divination, And insubordination is as reprehensible as 45false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, 46He has also rejected you from being king.”

24Then Saul said to Samuel, “47I have sinned, for 48I have violated the 49command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25Now then, 50please pardon my sin and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” 26But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for 51you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27Then Samuel turned to go, but 52Saul grasped the edge of his robe, and it tore off. 28So Samuel said to him, “53The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29Also the 5455Glory of Israel 56will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man, that He would change His mind.” 30Then Saul said, “I have sinned; 57but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, 58so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him 59cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is gone!” 33But Samuel said, “60As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

34Then Samuel went to 61Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at 62Gibeah of Saul. 35And 63Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, though Samuel 64mourned for 65Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.