1 Samuel 15:10-23

Then GOD spoke to Samuel: “I’m sorry I ever made Saul king. He’s turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him.” Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, “Saul’s gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and then was headed for Gilgal.” By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrificed to GOD. As Samuel came close, Saul called out, “GOD’s blessings on you! I accomplished GOD’s plan to the letter!” Samuel said, “So what’s this I’m hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?” “Only some Amalekite loot,” said Saul. “The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to GOD. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban.” “Enough!” interrupted Samuel. “Let me tell you what GOD told me last night.” Saul said, “Go ahead. Tell me.” And Samuel told him. “When you started out in this, you were nothing—and you knew it. Then GOD put you at the head of Israel—made you king over Israel. Then GOD sent you off to do a job for him, ordering you, ‘Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites, under a holy ban. Go to war against them until you have totally wiped them out.’ So why did you not obey GOD? Why did you grab all this loot? Why, with GOD’s eyes on you all the time, did you brazenly carry out this evil?” Saul defended himself. “What are you talking about? I did obey GOD. I did the job GOD set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to GOD at Gilgal—what’s wrong with that?” Then Samuel said