1Samuel said to Saul, "Yahweh sent me to appoint you king over his people, Israel. So now, listen to what Yahweh says.
2Yahweh Almighty says, 'I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he attacked them on the way when they were coming out of Egypt.
3Now go and attack Amalek, and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"
4Saul gathered the people and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah.
5Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
6Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, leave, get away from the Amalekites, so I don't destroy you along with them. You showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt." So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
7Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is near Egypt.
8He captured Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and completely destroyed all the other people with his sword.
9But Saul and his people spared Agag, as well as the best of the sheep, cattle, fat calves, and lambs—everything that was good. They were not willing to completely destroy them. But everything that was worthless and despised, they did completely destroy.
10Then Yahweh spoke to Samuel, saying,
11"I regret that I made Saul king, because he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my commands." Samuel was angry, and he cried out to Yahweh all night.
12Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul. Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel, and look, he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned, passed by, and went down to Gilgal."
13When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, "May Yahweh bless you! I have carried out Yahweh's command."
14Samuel said, "Then what is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?"
15Saul said, "They brought them from the Amalekites, because the people spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We completely destroyed the rest."
16Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! I will tell you what Yahweh told me last night." Saul said to him, "Speak."
17Samuel said, "Even though you considered yourself unimportant, didn't you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh appointed you king over Israel.
18and Yahweh sent you on a journey and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites, and fight against them until they are wiped out.’
19Why then didn’t you obey Yahweh? Why did you take the loot and do what was evil in Yahweh’s eyes?”
20Saul replied to Samuel, “But I did obey Yahweh. I went where Yahweh sent me, brought back Agag, the king of Amalek, and completely destroyed the Amalekites.
21However, the people took some of the plunder—sheep and cattle, the best of the dedicated things—to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.”
22Samuel said, “Does Yahweh find as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying his voice? Look, obeying is better than sacrifice, and listening is better than the fat of rams.
23Because rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is like worshipping idols and household gods. Since you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
24Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I have broken Yahweh’s command and your words, because I was afraid of the people and obeyed them.”
25“Now please, forgive my sin and come back with me so I can worship Yahweh.”
26Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you, because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
28Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors who is better than you.
29Also, the Strength of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human that he would change his mind.”
30Then Saul said, “I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can worship Yahweh your God.”
31So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshipped Yahweh.
32Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag, the king of the Amalekites, to me!” Agag came cheerfully, thinking, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33But Samuel said, “Just as your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag to pieces before Yahweh in 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, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.