4. So Saul called the army together at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah.
5. Then Saul went to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the ravine.
6. He said to the Kenites, “Go away. Leave the Amalekites so that I won’t destroy you with them. You showed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7. Then Saul defeated the Amalekites. He fought them all the way from Havilah to Shur, at the border of Egypt.
8. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive. But he killed all of Agag’s army with the sword.
9. But Saul and the army let Agag live. They also let the best sheep, fat cattle and lambs live. They let every good animal live. They did not want to destroy them. But when they found an animal that was weak or useless, they killed it.
10. Then the Lord spoke his word to Samuel:
11. “Saul has stopped following me. And I am sorry I made him king. He has not obeyed my commands.” Samuel was upset, and he cried out to the Lord all night long.
12. Early the next morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul. But the people told Samuel, “Saul has gone to Carmel. He has put up a monument in his own honor. Now he has gone down to Gilgal.”
13. Then Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said, “May the Lord bless you! I have obeyed the Lord’s commands.”