Saul’s Disobedience

1Then Samuel (his name is El) said to Saul (desired), “The LORD {YHWH} sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel (he wrestles with God). Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. 2This is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley) did to the Israelites (God prevails) when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt (land of bondage). 3Now go and attack the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley) and devote to destruction {cherem}a all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

4So Saul (desired) summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim (lambs)—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah (praised). 5Saul (desired) came to the city of Amalek (dweller in a valley) and lay in wait in the valley. 6And he (desired) warned the Kenites (smiths), “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites (God prevails) when they came up out of Egypt (land of bondage), go on and get away from the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley). Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.”

So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

7Then Saul (desired) struck down the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley) all the way from Havilah (circle) to Shur (wall), which is east of Egypt (land of bondage). 8He captured Agag (I will overtop) king of Amalek (dweller in a valley) alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.

9Saul (desired) and his troops spared Agag (I will overtop), along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves (the grown bulls)b and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to devote them to destruction, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.

Samuel Denounces Saul

10Then the word of the LORD {YHWH} came to Samuel (his name is El), saying, 11“I regret that I have made Saul (desired) king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.”

And Samuel (his name is El) was distressed and cried out to the LORD {YHWH} all that night.

12Early in the morning Samuel (his name is El) got up to confront Saul (desired), but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel (garden-land), and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal (a wheel).”

13When Samuel (his name is El) reached him (desired), Saul said to him, “May the LORD {YHWH} bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”

14But Samuel (his name is El) replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”

15Saul (desired) answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley); they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka}, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”

16“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel (his name is El) (desired). “Let me tell you what the LORD {YHWH} said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” Saul replied.

17And Samuel (his name is El) said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God)? The LORD {YHWH} anointed you king over Israel 18and sent {YHWH} you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites (dwellers in a valley). Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19So why did you not obey the LORD {YHWH}? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”

20“But I did obey the LORD {YHWH},” Saul (desired) (his name is El) replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag (I will overtop) king of Amalek (dweller in a valley) and devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} at Gilgal (a wheel).”

22But Samuel (his name is El) declared:

“Does the LORD {YHWH} delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obedience to His voice?

Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice,

and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

23For rebellion is like the sin of divination,

and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD {YHWH},

He has rejected you as king.”

Saul’s Confession

24Then Saul (desired) said to Samuel (his name is El), “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s {YHWH} commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD {YHWH}.”

26“I will not return with you,” Samuel (his name is El) replied (desired). “For you have rejected the word of the LORD {YHWH}, and He has rejected you as king over Israel (he wrestles with God).”

27As Samuel (his name is El) turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28So Samuel (his name is El) said to him, “The LORD {YHWH} has torn the kingdom of Israel (he wrestles with God) from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. 29Moreover, the Glory of Israel (he wrestles with God) does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”

30“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel (he wrestles with God). Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka}.”

31So Samuel (his name is El) went back with Saul (desired), and Saul worshiped the LORD {YHWH}.

32Then Samuel (his name is El) said, “Bring me Agag (I will overtop) king of the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley).”

Agag came to him cheerfully (cautiously),c for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past (“Surely this is the bitterness of death.”).”d

33But Samuel (his name is El) declared:

“As your sword has made women childless,

so your mother will be childless among women.”

And Samuel hacked Agag (I will overtop) to pieces before the LORD {YHWH} at Gilgal (a wheel).

34Then Samuel (his name is El) went to Ramah (hill), but Saul (desired) went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35And to the day of his death, Samuel (his name is El) never again visited Saul (desired). Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD {YHWH} regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel (he wrestles with God).