1 Samuel 15:8-23

8He captured 1Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and 2completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people 3spared 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.

10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11“4I regret that I have made Saul king, because 5he has turned back from 6following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was furious and 7cried 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 8Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on 9down to 10Gilgal.” 13So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “11Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14But Samuel said, “12What then is this 13bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the 14bellowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for 15the 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, “16Is it not true, 17though you were 18insignificant 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 19mission, and said, ‘20Go 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? 21Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!”

20Then Saul said to Samuel, “22I did obey the voice of the Lord, for I went on the 23mission on which the Lord sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21But 24the 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, “25Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, 26to 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 27divination, And insubordination is as reprehensible as 28false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, 29He has also rejected you from being king.”