15Samuel told Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the LORD.H8050H559H7586H3068H7971H4886H4428H5971H3478H8085H6963H1697H30682This is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.H559H3068H6635H6485H6002H6213H3478H7760H1870H5927H47143Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"H3212H5221H6002H2763H2550H4191H376H802H5768H3243H7794H7716H1581H25434Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah.H7586H8085H5971H8085H6485H2923H3967H505H7273H6235H505H376H30635Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi.H7586H935H5892H6002H7378H693H51586He warned the Kenites, "Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I'll sweep you away with them." So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.H7586H559H7017H3212H5493H3381H8432H6002H622H6213H2617H1121H3478H5927H4714H7017H5493H8432H60037Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt.H7586H5221H6002H2341H935H7793H6440H47148He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.H8610H90H4428H6002H2416H2763H5971H6310H27199Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, cattle, and fatlings, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.H7586H5971H2550H90H4315H6629H1241H4932H3733H2896H14H2763H4399H5240H4549H276310Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel:H1697H3068H8050H55911"I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions." So Samuel became angry and cried out to the LORD [all] night.H5162H4427H7586H4428H7725H310H6965H1697H2734H8050H2199H3068H391512Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, "Saul went to Carmel where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal."H8050H7925H7125H7586H1242H5046H8050H559H7586H935H3760H5324H3027H5437H5674H3381H153713When Samuel came to him, Saul said, "May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD's instructions."H8050H935H7586H7586H559H1288H3068H6965H1697H306814Samuel replied, "Then what is this sound of sheep and cattle I hear?"H8050H559H6963H6629H241H6963H1241H808515Saul answered, "The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we destroyed."H7586H559H935H6003H5971H2550H4315H6629H1241H2076H3068H430H3498H276316"Stop!" exclaimed Samuel. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," he replied.H8050H559H7586H7503H5046H3068H1696H3915H559H169617Samuel continued, "Although you once considered yourself unimportant, have you not become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over IsraelH8050H559H6996H5869H7218H7626H3478H3068H4886H4428H347818and then sent you on a mission and said: 'Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.'H3068H7971H1870H559H3212H2763H2400H6002H3898H361519So why didn't you obey the LORD? Why did you rush on the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD's sight?"H8085H6963H3068H5860H7998H6213H7451H5869H306820"But I did obey the LORD!" Saul answered. "I went on the mission the LORD gave me: I brought back Agag, king of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites.H7586H559H8050H8085H6963H3068H3212H1870H3068H7971H935H90H4428H6002H2763H600221The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder— the best of what was set apart for destruction— to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal."H5971H3947H7998H6629H1241H7225H2764H2076H3068H430H153722Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention [is better] than the fat of rams.H8050H559H3068H2656H5930H2077H8085H6963H3068H8085H2896H2077H7181H2459H35223For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.H4805H2403H7081H6484H205H8655H3988H1697H3068H3988H442824Saul answered Samuel, "I have sinned. I have transgressed the LORD's command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.H7586H559H8050H2398H5674H6310H3068H1697H3372H5971H8085H696325Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD."H5375H2403H7725H7812H306826Samuel replied to Saul, "I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the LORD, the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."H8050H559H7586H7725H3988H1697H3068H3068H3988H4428H347827When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.H8050H5437H3212H2388H3671H4598H716728Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.H8050H559H3068H7167H4468H3478H3117H5414H7453H289629Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not man who changes his mind."H5331H3478H8266H5162H120H516230Saul said, "I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow and worship the LORD your God."H559H2398H3513H2205H5971H3478H7725H7812H3068H43031Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the LORD.H8050H7725H310H7586H7586H7812H306832Samuel said, "Bring me Agag king of Amalek." Agag came to him trembling, for he thought, "Certainly the bitterness of death has come."H559H8050H5066H90H4428H6002H90H3212H4574H90H559H403H4751H4194H549333Samuel declared: As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women. Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.H8050H559H2719H802H7921H517H7921H802H8050H8158H90H8158H6440H3068H153734Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.H8050H3212H7414H7586H5927H1004H1390H758635Even to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted He had made Saul king over Israel.H8050H3254H7200H7586H3117H4194H3588H8050H56H7586H3068H5162H7586H4427H3478
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