Also some of the Hebrews
crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was
still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Now he waited seven days, according
to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and
the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering
and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he finished
offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet
him and to greet him. But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul
said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did
not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling
at Michmash, therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me
at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and
offered the burnt offering.” Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly;
you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you,
for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But
now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man
after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people,
because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
Then Samuel said to Saul, “The
LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore,
listen to the words of the LORD. “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish
Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the
way while he was coming up from Egypt. ‘Now go and strike Amalek and utterly
destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and
woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
Then Saul summoned the people
and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of
Then the word of the LORD came
to Samuel, saying, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back
from following Me and has not carried out My commands.”
And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night. Samuel
rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul
came to
Samuel said, “Is it not true,
though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the
tribes of
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I
did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent
me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek,
and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of
the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction,
to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” Samuel said,
“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
“For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He has also rejected you from being king.”
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I
have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words,
because I feared the people and listened to their voice. Now therefore, please
pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.” But 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.” As Samuel
turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel
said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has
given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. Also the Glory of Israel
will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His
mind.” Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the
elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship
the LORD your God.” So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the
LORD.
Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag,
the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said,
“Surely the bitterness of death is past.” But Samuel said, “As your sword has
made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel
hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
Then Samuel went to Ramah, but
Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until
the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that
He had made Saul king over
Scripture taken from the NEW A
(c) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977,
1995 by
The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
(www.Lockman.org)