1 Samuel 15:10-35

10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11“1I regret that I have made Saul king, because 2he has turned back from 3following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was furious and 4cried 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 5Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on 6down to 7Gilgal.” 13So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “8Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14But Samuel said, “9What then is this 10bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the 11bellowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for 12the 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, “13Is it not true, 14though you were 15insignificant 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 16mission, and said, ‘17Go 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? 18Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!”

20Then Saul said to Samuel, “19I did obey the voice of the Lord, for I went on the 20mission on which the Lord sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21But 21the 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, “22Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, 23to 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 24divination, And insubordination is as reprehensible as 25false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, 26He has also rejected you from being king.”

24Then Saul said to Samuel, “27I have sinned, for 28I have violated the 29command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25Now then, 30please 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 31you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27Then Samuel turned to go, but 32Saul grasped the edge of his robe, and it tore off. 28So Samuel said to him, “33The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29Also the 3435Glory of Israel 36will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man, that He would change His mind.” 30Then Saul said, “I have sinned; 37but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, 38so 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 39cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is gone!” 33But Samuel said, “40As 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 41Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at 42Gibeah of Saul. 35And 43Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, though Samuel 44mourned for 45Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.