Saul's Disobedience

(Leviticus 20:1-9; Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-68; 1 Kings 13:11-34)

1And Samuel saith unto Saul, ‘Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah: 2‘Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt. 3Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.’

4And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand [are] men of Judah. 5And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley; 6and Saul saith unto the Kenite, ‘Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;’ and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek. 7And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah — thy going in to Shur, which [is] on the front of Egypt, 8and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword; 9and Saul hath pity — also the people — on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that [is] good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted — it they devoted.

Samuel Denounces Saul

10And the word of Jehovah is unto Samuel, saying, 11‘I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;’ and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Jehovah all the night. 12And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, ‘Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.’ 13And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, ‘Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.’ 14And Samuel saith, ‘And what [is] the noise of this flock in mine ears — and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?’ 15And Saul saith, ‘From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.’ 16And Samuel saith unto Saul, ‘Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;’ and he saith to him, ‘Speak.’

17And Samuel saith, ‘Art not thou, if thou [art] little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel, 18and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed; 19and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah — and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?’

20And Saul saith unto Samuel, ‘Because — I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted; 21and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.’

22And Samuel saith, ‘Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as [in] hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;

23for a sin of divination [is] rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim [is] stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from [being] king.’

Saul's Confession

24And Saul saith unto Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice; 25and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.’ 26And Samuel saith unto Saul, ‘I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.’ 27And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe — and it is rent! 28And Samuel saith unto him, ‘Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou; 29and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He [is] not a man to be penitent.’ 30And he saith, ‘I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Jehovah thy God.’ 31And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Jehovah;

32and Samuel saith, ‘Bring ye nigh unto me Agag king of Amalek,’ and Agag cometh unto him daintily, and Agag saith, ‘Surely the bitterness of death hath turned aside.’ 33And Samuel saith, ‘As thy sword bereaved women — so is thy mother bereaved above women;’ and Samuel heweth Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.

34And Samuel goeth to Ramath, and Saul hath gone unto his house — to Gibeah of Saul. 35And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.