¹⁴ The Lord then said to Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven.”^(A)

¹⁵ And Moses built an altar^(B) and named it, “The Lord Is My Banner.”^{[a] 16} He said, “Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward^[b] the Lord’s throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

⁸ He captured King Agag^(A) of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.^{(B) 9} Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals,^[a] 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.

¹⁰ Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, ¹¹ “I regret that I made Saul king,^(C) for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.”^(D) So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.^(E)

¹² Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel^(F) where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.”^{(G) 13} When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you.^(H) I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

¹⁴ Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?”

¹⁵ Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God,^(I) but the rest we destroyed.”^(J)

¹⁶ “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” he replied.

¹⁷ Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant,^(K) haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel ¹⁸ and then sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’ ¹⁹ So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder^(L) and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”

²⁰ “But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered.^[b] “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹ The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”^(M)

²² Then Samuel said:

²⁴ Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned.^(S) I have transgressed the Lord’s command^(T) and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. ²⁵ Now therefore, please forgive my sin^(U) and return with me so I can worship the Lord.”

²⁶ Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord,^(V) the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” ²⁷ When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the corner of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸ Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today^(W) and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.^{(X) 29} Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel^(Y) does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.”^(Z)

³⁰ Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor me^(AA) now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the Lord your God.”^{(AB) 31} Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord.

³² Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of Amalek.”

Agag came to him trembling,^[c] for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.”^[d][e]

³³ Samuel declared:

Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.