1Samuel also said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now, hear the words of the LORD. 2Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him along the way, when Israel came up from Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man, woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel and donkey.’” 4And Saul gathered the people and numbered them in Telaim: two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6And Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, get away from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites, when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah until you come to Shur, near the east shore of Egypt. 8And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and killed everyone else with the sword. 9But Saul and his army spared Agag, and kept the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good, and did not utterly destroy them; but everything that was worthless or of poor quality, they destroyed.10Then this word of the LORD came to Samuel, 11“I regret that I have set up Saul to be king: for he has turned from following Me, and has not obeyed My commands.” And it grieved Samuel; and he cried to the LORD all night. 12And when Samuel rose to meet Saul early the next morning, he was told: “Saul came to Carmel, and he set up a monument for himself (perhaps to commemorate his victory), and has then proceeded to Gilgal.” 13And when Samuel reached Saul, Saul said to him, “Blessed be you of the LORD; I have performed the commands of the LORD.” 14But Samuel asked, “What is the meaning, then, of this bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of oxen, which I hear?” 15And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice them unto the LORD your God; and all the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16Then Samuel told Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” And Saul said, “Say on.”

17And Samuel said, “While you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel? 18And the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites; fight against them until they are all wiped out’. 19Why, then, did you not obey the LORD, but pounced upon the spoil, and did evil in the eyes of the LORD?” 20And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the LORD; I have gone where the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag, the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the men took some of the spoil - sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed - to sacrifice unto the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22And Samuel said, “Does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as He does in obedience to His word? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed better than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as evil as idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you as His king.” 24And Saul told Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commands of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25Now, please pardon my sin, and return again to me, that I may worship the LORD.” 26But Samuel said, “I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27And as Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the skirt of his mantle, and it tore. 28And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29And He Who is the Glory and Strength of Israel will not lie nor change His mind. He is not a man, that He should change His mind.” 30Then Saul said, “I have sinned: but please honor me now before the elders of my people, and all Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” 31So Samuel turned back with Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

32Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag, the king of the Amalekites, here to me.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. For Agag thought to himself, “Surely the bitterness and threat of death has passed.” 33But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34Then Samuel left for Ramah; and Saul returned to his house in Gibeah of Saul.

35And Samuel never came to see Saul until the day of his death; though Samuel mourned for Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.