1 Samuel 15:8-35

1 Samuel 15:8-35

[8] And he took  Agag  the king  of the Amalekites  alive,  and utterly destroyed  all the people  with the edge  of the sword.  [9] But Saul  and the people  spared  Agag,  and the best  of the sheep,  and of the oxen,  and of the fatlings,  and the lambs,  and all that was good,  and would  not utterly destroy  them: but every thing  and refuse,  that they destroyed utterly.  [10] Then came the word  of the LORD  unto Samuel,  saying,  [11] It repenteth  me that I have set up  Saul  to be king:  for he is turned back  from following  me, and hath not performed  my commandments.  And it grieved  Samuel;  and he cried  unto the LORD  all night.  [12] And when Samuel  rose early  Saul  in the morning,  it was told  Samuel,  saying,  Saul  came  to Carmel,  and, behold, he set him up  a place,  and is gone about,  and passed on,  and gone down  to Gilgal.  [13] And Samuel  came  to Saul:  said  unto him, Blessed  be thou of the LORD:  I have performed  the commandment  of the LORD.  [14] And Samuel  said,  What meaneth then this bleating  of the sheep  in mine ears,  and the lowing  of the oxen  which I hear?  [15] And 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  thy God;  and the rest  we have utterly destroyed.  [16] Then Samuel  said  unto Saul,  Stay,  and I will tell  thee what the LORD  hath said  to me this night.  And he said  unto him, Say on.  [17] And Samuel  said,  When thou wast little  in thine own sight,  wast thou not made the head  of the tribes  of Israel,  and the LORD  anointed  thee king  over Israel?  [18] And the LORD  sent  thee on a journey,  and said,  and utterly destroy  the sinners  the Amalekites,  and fight  against them until they be consumed.  [19] Wherefore then didst thou not obey  the voice  of the LORD,  but didst fly  upon the spoil,  and didst  evil  in the sight  of the LORD?  [20] And Saul  said  unto Samuel,  Yea, I have obeyed  the voice  of the LORD,  the way  which the LORD  sent  me, and have brought  Agag  the king  of Amalek,  and have utterly destroyed  the Amalekites.  [21] But the people  took  of the spoil,  sheep  and oxen,  the chief  of the things which should have been utterly destroyed,  to sacrifice  unto the LORD  thy God  in Gilgal.  [22] And Samuel  said,  Hath the LORD  as great delight  in burnt offerings  and sacrifices,  as in obeying  the voice  of the LORD?  Behold, to obey  is better  than sacrifice,  and to hearken  than the fat  of rams.  [23] For rebellion  is as the sin  of witchcraft,  and stubbornness  is as iniquity  and idolatry.  Because thou hast rejected  the word  of the LORD,  he hath also rejected  thee from being king.  [24] And Saul  said  unto Samuel,  I have sinned:  for I have transgressed  the commandment  of the LORD,  and thy words:  because I feared  the people,  and obeyed  their voice.  [25] Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon  my sin,  and turn again  with me, that I may worship  the LORD.  [26] And Samuel  said  unto Saul,  I will not return  with thee: for thou hast rejected  the word  of the LORD,  hath rejected  thee from being king  over Israel.  [27] And as Samuel  turned about  he laid hold  upon the skirt  of his mantle,  and it rent.  [28] And Samuel  said  unto him, The LORD  hath rent  the kingdom  of Israel  from thee this day,  and hath given  it to a neighbour  of thine, that is better  [29] And also the Strength  of Israel  will not lie  nor repent:  for he is not a man,  that he should repent.  [30] Then he said,  I have sinned:  yet honour  me now, I pray thee, before the elders  of my people,  and before Israel,  and turn again  with me, that I may worship  the LORD  thy God.  [31] So Samuel  turned again  after  Saul;  worshipped  the LORD.  [32] Then said  Samuel,  Bring ye hither  to me Agag  the king  of the Amalekites.  And Agag  unto him delicately.  And Agag  said,  Surely  the bitterness  of death  is past.  [33] And Samuel  said,  As thy sword  hath made women  childless,  so shall thy mother  be childless  among women.  And Samuel  Agag  in pieces  before  the LORD  in Gilgal.  [34] Then Samuel  to Ramah;  and Saul  went up  to his house  to Gibeah  of Saul.  [35] And Samuel  came no more  to see  Saul  until the day  of his death:  nevertheless  Samuel  mourned  for Saul:  and the LORD  repented  that he had made Saul  king  over Israel.