Chapter 15

Samuel also said⁴ unto Saul, The LORD sent¹ me to anoint² thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken³ thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, I remember¹ [that] which Amalek did¹ to Israel, how he laid¹ [wait] for him in the way, when he came up² from Egypt.

Now go³ and smite⁵² Amalek, and utterly destroy⁵² all that they have, and spare⁴ them not; but slay⁵² both man and woman, infant and suckling,⁶ ox and sheep, camel and ass.

And Saul gathered the people together,¹⁷ and numbered⁴ them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

And Saul came⁴ to a city of Amalek, and laid wait^{4 693 55} in the valley.

And Saul said⁴ unto the Kenites, Go,³ depart,³ get you down³ from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy⁴ you with them: for ye shewed¹ kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up² out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed⁴ from among the Amalekites.

And Saul smote⁵⁵ the Amalekites from Havilah [until] thou comest² to Shur, that [is] over against Egypt.

And he took⁴ Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed⁵² all the people with the edge of the sword.

But Saul and the people spared⁴ Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all [that was] good, and would¹ not utterly destroy⁵³ them: but every thing [that was] vile and refuse,⁸ that they destroyed utterly.⁵²

Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,²

It repenteth⁸ me that I have set up⁵² Saul [to be] king: for he is turned back¹ from following me, and hath not performed⁵² my commandments. And it grieved⁴ Samuel; and he cried⁴ unto the LORD all night.

And when Samuel rose early⁵⁵ to meet² Saul in the morning, it was told⁹³ Samuel, saying,² Saul came¹ to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up⁵⁶ a place, and is gone about,¹¹ and passed on,⁴ and gone down⁴ to Gilgal.

And Samuel came⁴ to Saul: and Saul said⁴ unto him, Blessed⁷ [be] thou of the LORD: I have performed⁵² the commandment of the LORD.

And Samuel said,⁴ What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?⁶

And Saul said,⁴ They have brought⁵² them from the Amalekites: for the people spared¹ the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice² unto the LORD thy God; and the rest⁶ we have utterly destroyed.⁵²

Then Samuel said⁴ unto Saul, Stay,⁵⁴ and I will tell⁵⁵ thee what the LORD hath said¹⁴ to me this night. And he said⁴ unto him, Say on.¹⁶

And Samuel said,⁴ When thou [wast] little in thine own sight, [wast] thou not [made] the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed⁴ thee king over Israel?

And the LORD sent⁴ thee on a journey, and said,⁴ Go³ and utterly destroy⁵² the sinners the Amalekites, and fight⁸ against them until they be consumed.¹⁵

Wherefore then didst thou not obey¹ the voice of the LORD, but didst fly⁴ upon the spoil, and didst⁴ evil in the sight of the LORD?

And Saul said⁴ unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed¹ the voice of the LORD, and have gone⁴ the way which the LORD sent¹ me, and have brought⁵⁵ Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed⁵² the Amalekites.

But the people took⁴ of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice² unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

And Samuel said,⁴ Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying² the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey² [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken⁵³ than the fat of rams.

For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness⁵³ [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected¹ the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected⁴ thee from [being] king.

And Saul said⁴ unto Samuel, I have sinned:¹ for I have transgressed¹ the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared¹ the people, and obeyed⁴ their voice.

Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon³ my sin, and turn again³ with me, that I may worship¹⁰¹ the LORD.

And Samuel said⁴ unto Saul, I will not return⁴ with thee: for thou hast rejected¹ the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected⁴ thee from being king over Israel.

And as Samuel turned about¹¹ to go away,² he laid hold⁵⁵ upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.¹¹

And Samuel said⁴ unto him, The LORD hath rent¹ the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given¹ it to a neighbour of thine, [that is] better than thou.

And also the Strength of Israel will not lie¹⁷ nor repent:¹¹ for he [is] not a man, that he should repent.⁹

Then he said,⁴ I have sinned:¹ [yet] honour¹⁶ me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again³ with me, that I may worship⁹⁸ the LORD thy God.

So Samuel turned again⁴ after Saul; and Saul worshipped¹⁰¹ the LORD.

Then said⁴ Samuel, Bring ye hither⁵⁴ to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came⁴ unto him delicately. And Agag said,⁴ Surely the bitterness of death is past.¹

And Samuel said,⁴ As thy sword hath made women childless,¹⁴ so shall thy mother be childless⁴ among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces¹⁷ before the LORD in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went⁴ to Ramah; and Saul went up¹ to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

And Samuel came no more¹ to see² Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned⁹⁸ for Saul: and the LORD repented⁸ that he had made Saul king⁵² over Israel.