Dual PanelSaul and David
1SAMUEL said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now listen to the voice of the LORD:
2this is the very word of the LORD of Hosts: I shall punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel, when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt.
3Go now, fall upon the Amalekites, destroy them, and put their property under ban. Spare no one; put them all to death, men and women, children and babes in arms, herds and flocks, camels and donkeys.”
4Saul called out the levy and reviewed them at Telaim: there were two hundred thousand foot-soldiers and another ten thousand from Judah.
5When he reached the city of Amalek, he halted for a time in the valley.
6Meanwhile he sent word to the Kenites to leave the Amalekites and come down, “or”, he said, “I shall destroy you as well as them; but you were friendly to Israel as they came up from Egypt”. So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
7Saul inflicted defeat on the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur on the borders of Egypt.
8Agag king of the Amalekites he took alive, but he destroyed all the people, putting them to the sword.
9Saul and his army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat beasts and the lambs, and everything worth keeping; these they were unwilling to destroy, but anything that was useless and of no value they destroyed.
10The word of the LORD came to Samuel:
11“I repent of having made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not obeyed my instructions.” Samuel was angry; all night long he cried aloud to the LORD.
12Early next morning he went to meet Saul, but was told that he had gone to Carmel, for he had set up a monument to himself there, and then had turned and gone on down to Gilgal.
13There Samuel found him, and Saul greeted him with the words, “The LORD's blessing on you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions.”
14“What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears?” demanded Samuel. “How do I come to hear the lowing of cattle?”
15Saul answered, “The troops have taken them from the Amalekites. These are what they spared, the best of the sheep and cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; the rest we completely destroyed.”
16Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” said Saul.
17So Samuel went on, “Once you thought little of yourself, but now you are head of the tribes of Israel. The LORD, who anointed you king over Israel,
18charged you with the destruction of that wicked nation, the Amalekites; you were to go and wage war against them until you had wiped them out.
19Why then did you not obey the LORD? Why did you swoop on the spoil, so doing what was wrong in the eyes of the LORD?”
20Saul answered, “But I did obey the LORD; I went where the LORD sent me, and I have brought back Agag king of the Amalekites.
21The rest of them I destroyed. Out of the spoil the troops took sheep and oxen, the choicest of the animals laid under ban, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
22Samuel then said: “Does the LORD desire whole-offerings and sacrifices as he desires obedience? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen to him better than the fat of rams.
23Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, arrogance as evil as idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
24Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I have not complied with the LORD's command or with your instructions: I was afraid of the troops and gave in to them.
25But now forgive my sin, I implore you, and come back with me, and I shall bow in worship before the LORD.”
26Samuel answered, “I shall not come back with you; you have rejected the word of the LORD and therefore the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel.”
27As he turned to go, Saul caught the corner of his cloak and it tore.
28And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from your hand today and will give it to another, a better man than you.
29God who is the Splendour of Israel does not deceive, nor does he change his mind, as a mortal might do.”
30Saul pleaded, “I have sinned; but honour me this once before the elders of my people and before Israel and come back with me, and I will bow in worship before the LORD your God.”
31Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshipped the LORD.
32Samuel said, “Bring Agag king of the Amalekites.” So Agag came to him with faltering step and said, “Surely the bitterness of death has passed.”
33Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” Then Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
34Saul went to his own home at Gibeah, and Samuel went to Ramah;
35and he never saw Saul again to his dying day, but he grieved for him, because the LORD had repented of having made him king over Israel.