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 children of Israel, 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, that is opposite Egypt. 8And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the sword. 9But Saul and his army spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they utterly destroyed. 10Then came the word of the LORD to Samuel, 11“I regret that I have set up Saul to be king: for he has turned back from following Me, and has not obeyed My commandments”. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried to the LORD all night. 12And when Samuel rose early the next morning to meet Saul, this was reported to him: “Saul came to Carmel, and he set up a monument for himself (perhaps to commemorate his victory), and has turned and proceeded to Gilgal”. 13And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, “Blessed be you of the LORD; I have performed the commandment of the LORD. 14And 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 of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed”. 16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me this night”. And he said to him, “Say on.”

17And Samuel said, “When 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 utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed”. 19Why, then, did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but did fly upon the spoil, and did evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20And Saul said to Samuel, “Yes, but I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone where the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag, the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took 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, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to His word (voice)? Look, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen 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 being king.” 24And Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and your words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25Now, I pray you, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD”. 26And 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 go away, 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 Strength of Israel will not lie nor change His mind; for 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 before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.” 31So Samuel turned again after 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.” 33And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women”. And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul returned to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; nevertheless, Samuel mourned for Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.