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.”
14. But Samuel said, “Then why do I hear cattle mooing and sheep bleating?”
15. Saul answered, “The soldiers took them from the Amalekites. They saved the best sheep and cattle to offer as sacrifices to the Lord your God. But we destroyed all the other animals.”
16. Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”Saul answered, “Tell me.”
17. Samuel said, “Once you didn’t think much of yourself. But now you have become the leader of the tribes of Israel. The Lord appointed you to be king over Israel.
18. And he told you to do something. He said, ‘Go and destroy those evil people, the Amalekites. Make war on them until all of them are dead.’
19. Why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you take the best things? Why did you do what the Lord said was wrong?”
20. Saul said, “But I did obey the Lord. I did what the Lord told me to do. I destroyed all the Amalekites. And I brought back Agag their king.
21. The soldiers took the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
22. But Samuel answered,“What pleases the Lord more:burnt offerings and sacrifices or obedience?It is better to obey God than to offer a sacrifice.It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of male sheep.
23. Refusing to obey is as bad as the sin of sorcery.Being stubborn is as bad as the sin of worshiping idols.You have rejected the Lord’s command.For this reason, he now rejects you as king.”
24. Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I didn’t obey the Lord’s commands. I didn’t do what you told me. I was afraid of the people, and I did what they said.
25. Now I beg you, forgive my sin. Come back with me so I may worship the Lord.”
26. But Samuel said to Saul, “I won’t go back with you. You refused the Lord’s command. And now he rejects you as king of Israel.”
27. As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught his robe, and it tore.
28. Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today. He has given it to one of your neighbors. He has given it to one better than you.