1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over his people, over Israel. Now listen to the words of the LORD.”
2 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, when he opposed them on the way as they came up from Egypt.'
3 Now go and attack Amalek. Devote everything he has to destruction; spare nothing. Put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
4 Saul summoned the people and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go away; leave the Amalekites, so I do not destroy you along with them. For you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
7 Saul struck Amalek from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.
8 He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive, and devoted all the people to destruction by the sword.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fattened animals and the lambs, and everything that was good. They were unwilling to devote these to destruction. They devoted only what was worthless and of no value to destruction.
10 The word of the LORD came to Samuel:
11 “I regret making Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my words.” Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.
12 Samuel got up early to meet Saul in the morning, and someone told Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel and set up a monument for himself there. Then he turned around, went on, and came down to Gilgal.”
13 Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you! I have carried out the word of the LORD.”
14 Samuel asked, “Then what is this bleating of sheep I hear, and this lowing of cattle?”
15 Saul replied, “They brought them from the Amalekites, because the people spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God. We devoted the rest to destruction.”
16 Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” He replied, “Speak.”
17 Samuel said, “Though you were small in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.
18 The LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and devote the sinners, the Amalekites, to destruction; fight against them until they are wiped out.’
19 Why did you not listen to the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD’s eyes?”
20 Saul replied to Samuel, “But I did listen to the voice of the LORD! I went on the mission the LORD sent me on, brought back Agag, king of Amalek, and devoted Amalek to destruction.
21 But the people took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what had been devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
22 Samuel said, “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice; to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness like wickedness and idolatry. Because you rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I disobeyed the LORD’s command and your words. I was afraid of the people and obeyed them.
25 Now please forgive my sin and come back with me, so I may worship the LORD.”
26 Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not go back with you, because you rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel.”
27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
28 Samuel said to him, “Today the LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you and given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.
29 Also, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.”
30 Saul said, “I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so I may worship the LORD your God.”
31 Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32 Samuel said, “Bring Agag, king of Amalek, to me.” Agag came to him confidently, saying, “Surely the bitterness of death has passed.”
33 Samuel said, “As your sword has left women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
34 Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul.
35 Samuel never saw Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned for Saul. And the LORD regretted making Saul king over Israel.
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