1 S amuel told Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and heed the words of the Lord.

Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of Yahweh’s words.

2 T hus says the Lord of hosts, I have considered and will punish what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way when came out of Egypt.

Yahweh of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way, when he came up out of Egypt.

3 N ow go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

4 S o Saul assembled the men and numbered them at Telaim—200, 000 men on foot and 10, 000 men of Judah.

Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 A nd Saul came to the city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley.

Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.

6 S aul warned the Kenites, Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 S aul smote the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.

Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt.

8 A nd he took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, though he utterly destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.

He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9 S aul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but all that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed utterly.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

10 T hen the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying,

Then Yahweh’s word came to Samuel, saying,

11 I regret making Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commands. And Samuel was grieved and angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.

“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night.

12 W hen Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, he was told, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up for himself a monument or trophy and passed on and went down to Gilgal.

Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”

13 A nd Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, Blessed are you of the Lord. I have performed what the Lord ordered.

Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by Yahweh! I have performed the commandment of Yahweh.”

14 A nd Samuel said, What then means this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

Samuel said, “Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?”

15 S aul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we have utterly destroyed.

Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.”

16 T hen Samuel said to Saul, Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me tonight. Saul said to him, Say on.

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” He said to him, “Say on.”

17 S amuel said, When you were small in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed you king over Israel?

Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel;

18 A nd the Lord sent you on a mission and said, Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites; and fight against them until they are consumed.

and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’

19 W hy then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but swooped down upon the plunder and did evil in the Lord’s sight?

Why then didn’t you obey Yahweh’s voice, but took the plunder, and did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight?”

20 S aul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag king of Amalek and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed Yahweh’s voice, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 B ut the people took from the spoil sheep and oxen, the chief of the things to be utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.

But the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.”

22 S amuel said, Has the Lord as great a 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.

Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying Yahweh’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

23 F or rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (household good luck images). Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”

24 A nd Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

25 N ow, I pray you, pardon my sin and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord.

Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh.”

26 A nd Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.

Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

27 A nd as Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of Samuel’s mantle, and it tore.

As Samuel turned around to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

28 A nd Samuel said to him, The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

29 A nd also the Strength of Israel will not lie or repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent.

Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

30 S aul said, I have sinned; yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.

Then he said, “I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.”

31 S o Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped Yahweh.

32 T hen Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

33 S amuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.

34 T hen Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul.

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

35 A nd Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, though Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.