1 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD {YHWH, Divine Sender} sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice {kol: authoritative message} of the words of the LORD.”
2 Thus says the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Divine Commander}: “I have appointed judgment {paqadti: called to account} for what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way as he came up from Egypt.”
3 Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy {charam: total ban} all that belongs to him and do not spare {tachmol: compassion withheld} him; put to death from man to woman, from infant to nursing child, from ox to sheep, from camel to donkey.
4 And Saul summoned the people and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers {raġlî: those on foot} and ten thousand men of Judah {Yehudah: tribal clan}.
5 Saul came up to the city of Amalek and lay in wait {yarev: concealed himself for attack} in the valley {nakhal: seasonal ravine}.
6 And Saul said to the Kenite {ha-keini: metalworker tribe}, “Go, turn aside, depart from among the Amalekites, lest I gather you with him; for you showed kindness {chesed: covenant loyalty} to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenite departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul struck down the Amalekites from Khavilah {khavilah: border region} as he came to Shur {shur: desert frontier}, on the face of Egypt.
8 And he captured Agag, the king of Amalek, alive, and devoted all the people to destruction {hecherim: devoted offering} by the edge of the sword {charev: battle sword}.
9 Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the cattle, the choice animals, the lambs, and all that was good; they were unwilling to devote them to utter destruction, but they utterly destroyed all the property {melakhah: possessions} that was despised {nemivzah: regarded with contempt}.
10 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Speaker} came to Samuel {Shmu’el: Heard by God}, saying:
11 I was grieved because I made Saul king and he has turned back from following Me and has not fulfilled My words {devarai: spoken commands}. Samuel burned with anger, and he cried out to the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} all that night.
12 And Samuel arose early to meet {likrat: formal encounter} Saul in the morning, and it was told to Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he is erecting a monument {yad: commemorative pillar} for himself.” Then he turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.
13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Witness}; I have fulfilled the word {devar: spoken command} of the LORD.”
14 Samuel {shemu'el: prophetic examiner} said, “What then is this sound of the flock {tson: sheep herd} in my ears, and the sound of the cattle that I am hearing?”
15 And Saul said, “They brought them from the Amalekites; the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle in order to sacrifice to the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikha, Worship Recipient}, and the rest we have devoted to destruction {hecheramnu: set under ban}.”
16 And Samuel said to Saul, "Cease {hereph: end interruption} and let me tell you what the LORD {YHWH, Divine Speaker} spoke to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak."
17 And Samuel said, “Is it not true that, though you are small in your own eyes, you are the head {rosh: chief position} of the tribes of Israel? The LORD {YHWH, Royal Anointer} anointed you king over Israel.”
18 And the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} sent you on a journey and said, “Go and utterly devote to destruction {hacharamta: devoted to destruction} the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight them until you have completely finished them.”
19 And why did you not listen to the voice of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}? Instead, you swooped upon the plunder {shalal: spoils of war} and did the evil in the eyes of the LORD.
20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I fully obeyed the voice of the LORD {YHWH, Command Giver} and traveled the path on which the LORD sent me, and I brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and I utterly destroyed {hecheramti: devoted to destruction} Amalek.”
21 The people took from the spoil, sheep and cattle—the first {reshit: choicest portion} of what was devoted—to offer as a sacrifice to the LORD {YHWH, Worship Recipient} your God at Gilgal.
22 And Samuel said, "Does the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge} delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey {shmoa: attentive listening} is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and teraphim {teraphim: household idols}. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}, He has rejected you from being king.
24 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the command of the LORD {YHWH, Lawgiver} and your words {devar: spoken instruction}, because I was afraid of the people and I listened to their voice.”
25 And now, please forgive {sa: lift, pardon} my sin, and return with me, so that I may bow down to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge}.
26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, because you have rejected the word {devar: divine command} of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge}, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27 And as Samuel turned to go, Saul grasped the edge {kanaf: corner or extremity} of his robe {me'il: outer garment}, and it tore.
28 And Samuel said to him, “The LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} has torn the kingdom {mamləḵût: royal authority} of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.”
29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie and will not relent, for He {YHWH: Faithful Sovereign} is not a man {adam: mortal creature} to relent.
30 And he said, “I have sinned. Now please honor me {kabed: show respect} before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me so that I may worship the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} your God.”
31 Then Samuel {Shemuʼel: God Has Heard} went back with Saul, and Saul bowed down in worship to the LORD {YHWH, Worship Receiver}.
32 And Samuel said, “Bring near to me Agag the king of Amalek.” And Agag came to him cheerfully {maadanot: feigned composure}, and Agag said, “Indeed, the bitterness {mar: deathly dread} of death has turned aside.”
33 And Samuel said, “Just as your sword {kherev: instrument of death} has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} at Gilgal.
34 And Samuel went to Ramah {haramatah: home city}, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah {gibbath: namesake town} of Saul.
35 And Samuel did not continue {yasaf: to add further} to see Saul again until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. The LORD {YHWH, Divine Sovereign} regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.