The Lord who rules over all says, 'I will punish the Amalekites because of what they did to Israel. As the people of Israel came up from Egypt, the Amalekites attacked them.
" 'Now go. Attack the Amalekites. Set everything apart that belongs to them. Set it apart to me in a special way to be destroyed. Do not spare the Amalekites. Put the men and women to death. Put the children and babies to death. Also kill the cattle, sheep, camels and donkeys.' "
Then Saul said to the Kenites, "You were kind to all of the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. Get away from the Amalekites. Then I won't have to destroy you along with them." So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
But Saul and the army spared Agag. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They spared the fat calves and lambs. They spared everything that was valuable. They weren't willing to completely destroy any of those things. But they totally destroyed everything that was worthless and weak.
"I am very sorry I have made Saul king. He has turned away from me. He has not done what I directed him to do." When Samuel heard that, he was troubled. He cried out to the Lord during that whole night.
Early the next morning Samuel got up. He went to see Saul. But Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel. There he set up a monument in his own honor. Now he has gone on down to Gilgal."
Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They did it to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. But we totally destroyed everything else."
Samuel said, "There was a time when you didn't think you were important. But you became the leader of the tribes of Israel. The Lord anointed you to be king over Israel.
He sent you to do something for him. He said, 'Go and set the Amalekites apart. Set those sinful people apart to me in a special way to be destroyed. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.'
"The soldiers took sheep and cattle from what had been taken from our enemies. They took the best of what had been set apart to God. They wanted to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal."
But Samuel replied, "What pleases the Lord more? Burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obeying him? It is better to obey than to offer a sacrifice. It is better to do what he says than to offer the fat of rams.
Refusing to obey him is as sinful as using evil magic. Being proud is as evil as worshiping statues of gods. You have refused to do what the Lord told you to do. So he has refused to have you as king."
Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I've broken the Lord's command. I haven't done what you directed me to do. I was afraid of the people. So I did what they said I should do.
But Samuel said to him, "I won't go back with you. You have refused to do what the Lord told you to do. So he has refused to have you as king over Israel!"
Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today. He has given it to one of your neighbors. He has given it to someone who is better than you.
The One who is the Glory of Israel does not lie. He doesn't change his mind. That's because he isn't a mere man. If he were, he might change his mind."
Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me in front of the elders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me so I can worship the Lord your God."
Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites." Agag wasn't afraid when he came to Samuel. He thought, "The time for me to be put to death must have passed by now."
But Samuel said, "Your sword has killed the children of other women. So the child of your mother will be killed." Samuel put Agag to death at Gilgal in the sight of the Lord.
Until the day Samuel died, he didn't go to see Saul again. Samuel was filled with sorrow because of Saul. And the Lord was very sorry he had made Saul king over Israel.