The Command to Destroy Amalek
1Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people, over Israel. Now then, listen to the words of Yahweh. 2This is what Yahweh of Hosts says: I have taken note of what Amalek did to Israel — how he waylaid them on the road when they came up from Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that belongs to him. Do not spare them; put to death man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” 4Saul summoned the troops and mustered them at Telaim — two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, leave, get away from among the Amalekites, or I will destroy you along with them — for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites. 7Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, near Egypt. 8He captured Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and devoted all the people to destruction by the sword. 9But Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep and oxen, the fattened animals and the lambs — everything that was good — they were not willing to devote them to destruction. Only what was worthless and weak did they devote to destruction.
Yahweh Rejects Saul as King
10Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel: 11“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not carried out my words.” Samuel was distressed, and he cried out to Yahweh all night. 12Early in the morning Samuel got up to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul went to Carmel, and there he has set up a monument for himself; then he turned, passed on, and went down to Gilgal.” 13When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “May you be blessed by Yahweh! I have carried out the word of Yahweh.” 14Samuel said, “Then what is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and this lowing of cattle that I hear?” 15Saul said, “They brought them from the Amalekites — the troops spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. But the rest we devoted to destruction.” 16Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” “Speak,” Saul said to him. 17Samuel said, “Though you were small in your own eyes, were you not made head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel, 18and Yahweh sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction those sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are wiped out.’ 19Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahweh? Why did you swoop down on the plunder and do what is evil in the eyes of Yahweh?” 20Saul said to Samuel, “But I did obey the voice of Yahweh! I went on the mission Yahweh sent me on — I brought back Agag king of Amalek, and I devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21But the troops took sheep and oxen from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.” 22Samuel said, “Does Yahweh delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the voice of Yahweh? Look — to obey is better than sacrifice, to heed, better than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has rejected you from being king.” 24Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I transgressed the command of Yahweh and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now, please, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may bow down to Yahweh.” 26Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and given it to your neighbor, one better than you. 29And the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.” 30Saul said, “I have sinned. But now, please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel — come back with me, so that I may bow down to Yahweh your God.” 31So Samuel went back after Saul, and Saul bowed down to Yahweh. 32Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag king of the Amalekites to me.” Agag came to him cheerfully, thinking, “Surely the bitterness of death has passed.” 33But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal. 34Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35Samuel never saw Saul again until the day of his death, though he mourned for Saul. And Yahweh regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
