1 Samuel 15

¹ Samuel said to Saul, 'I am the man whom Yahweh sent to anoint you as king of his people Israel, sonow listen to the words of Yahweh.

² This is what Yahweh Sabaoth says, "I intend to punish what Amalek did to Israel -- laying a trap forhim on the way as he was coming up from Egypt.

³ Now, go and crush Amalek; put him under the curse of destruction with al that he possesses. Do notspare him, but kil man and woman, babe and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." '

⁴ Saul summoned the people and reviewed them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers (andten thousand men of Judah).

⁵ Saul advanced on the town of Amalek and lay in ambush in the river bed.

⁶ Saul said to the Kenites, 'Go away, leave your homes among the Amalekites, in case I destroy youwith them -- you acted with faithful love towards al the Israelites when they were coming up from Egypt.' So theKenites moved away from the Amalekites.

⁷ Saul then crushed the Amalekites, beginning at Havilah in the direction of Shur, which is to the east ofEgypt.

⁸ He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive and, executing the curse of destruction, put al the people tothe sword.

⁹ But Saul and the army spared Agag with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fatlings and lambs andal that was good. They did not want to consign these to the curse of destruction; they consigned only what waspoor and worthless.

¹⁰ The word of Yahweh came to Samuel,

¹¹ 'I regret having made Saul king, since he has broken his allegiance to me and not carried out myorders.' Samuel was appal ed and cried to Yahweh al night long.

¹² In the morning, Samuel set off to find Saul. Samuel was told, 'Saul has been to Carmel, to raisehimself a monument there, but now has turned about, moved on and gone down to Gilgal.'

¹³ When Samuel reached Saul, Saul said, 'May you be blessed by Yahweh! I have carried outYahweh's orders.'

¹⁴ Samuel replied, 'Then what is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?'

¹⁵ Saul said, 'They have been brought from Amalek, the people having spared the best of the sheepand cattle to sacrifice them to Yahweh, your God; the rest we have consigned to the curse of destruction.'

¹⁶ Samuel then said to Saul, 'Stop! Let me tel you what Yahweh said to me last night.' He said, 'Go on.'

¹⁷ Samuel said, 'Smal as you may be in your own eyes, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel?Yahweh has anointed you as king of Israel.

¹⁸ When Yahweh sent you on a mission he said to you, "Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites,under the curse of destruction and make war on them until they are exterminated."

¹⁹ Why then did you not obey Yahweh's voice? Why did you fal on the booty and do what is wrong inYahweh's eyes?'

²⁰ Saul replied to Samuel, 'But I did obey Yahweh's voice. I went on the mission which Yahweh gaveme; I brought back Agag king of the Amalekites; I put Amalek under the curse of destruction;

²¹ and from the booty the people have taken the best sheep and cattle of what was under the curse ofdestruction only to sacrifice them to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.'

²² To which, Samuel said: Is Yahweh pleased by burnt offerings and sacrifices or by obedience toYahweh's voice? Truly, obedience is better than sacrifice, submissiveness than the fat of rams.

²³ Rebellion is a sin of sorcery, presumption a crime of idolatry! 'Since you have rejected Yahweh'sword, he has rejected you as king.'

²⁴ Saul then said to Samuel, 'I have sinned, having broken Yahweh's order and your instructionsbecause I was afraid of the people and yielded to their demands.

²⁵ Now, please forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I can worship Yahweh.'

²⁶ Samuel said to Saul, 'I wil not come back with you, since you have rejected Yahweh's word andYahweh has rejected you as king of Israel.'

²⁷ As Samuel turned away to leave, Saul caught at the hem of his cloak and it tore,

²⁸ and Samuel said to him, 'Today Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you and given it to aneighbour of yours who is better than you.'

²⁹ (The Glory of Israel, however, does not lie or go back on his word, not being human and liable to goback on his word.)

³⁰ 'I have sinned,' Saul said, 'but please stil show me respect in front of my people's elders and in frontof Israel, and come back with me, so that I can worship Yahweh your God.'

³¹ Samuel fol owed Saul back and Saul worshipped Yahweh.

³² Samuel then said, 'Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites!' Agag came towards him unsteadilysaying, 'Truly death is bitter!'

³³ Samuel said: As your sword has left women childless, so wil your mother be left childless amongwomen! Samuel then butchered Agag before Yahweh at Gilgal.

³⁴ Samuel left for Ramah, and Saul went up home to Gibeah of Saul.

³⁵ Samuel did not see Saul again til his dying day. Samuel indeed mourned over Saul, but Yahwehregretted having made Saul king of Israel.