Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, Israel. Now listen carefully to the voice of the Lord's words.

I remember what Amalek did to Israel - how he set himself against them in the way when they came up out of Egypt. Go and strike Amalek, utterly destroying all they have, sparing none: not men, women, infants, sucklings, oxen, sheep, camels, or donkeys.

Saul gathered the people together and counted them in Telaim - two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. Saul came to the city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley. He said to the Kenites, "Go, depart 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.

Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah until you come to Shur, which is opposite Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. Saul and his people spared Agag, the Amalekite king, along with the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good; but they destroyed everything vile and refuse.

Then came the word of the Lord to Samuel, saying, "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. 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 cried out to the Lord all night. When Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told him that Saul had come to Carmel, set up a monument, and then gone on down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you of the Lord; I have performed the commandment of the Lord."

And Samuel said, "What does this bleating of sheep and lowing of oxen in my ears signify?" Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and we have utterly destroyed the rest."

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay and I will tell you what the Lord has spoken to me this night. And he said to him, "Speak on." When you were young in your own eyes, did not the Lord make you the leader of the tribes of Israel and anoint you king over them?

The Lord sent you on a mission, saying, "Go and completely destroy the Amalekites, fighting against them until they are utterly consumed. Wherefore then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but instead flew upon the spoil and did evil in His sight?

Saul said to Samuel, "Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and gone the way he sent me, bringing back Agag king of Amalek and completely destroying the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil - sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed - to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.

Samuel said, "Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices more than in obeying his voice? Behold, to listen is better than offering the fat of rams. For rebellion is like practicing witchcraft, and stubbornness is like idolatry because you have rejected God's word; he has also rejected you from being king.

Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned: I have disobeyed the Lord's command and your words because I was afraid of the people and did what they wanted. I pray you, pardon my sin and turn back with me.

Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. As Samuel turned to leave, he grasped the hem of Saul's robe and it tore.

Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and given it to someone who is better than you. The Strength of Israel will not change his mind or repent, because he is not human and cannot be swayed like one who repents.

Then he said, "I have sinned; now honor me before my people and Israel, that I may worship the Lord your God. Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshipped the Lord.

Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites to me." And Agag came delicately before him, saying, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." Samuel said, "As the sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul returned to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; yet he mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel