Chapter 15

And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Me did Yehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Yehovah:

`Thus said Yehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt.

Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.`

And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand are men of Judah.

And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley;

and Saul saith unto the Kenite, `Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;` and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek.

And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah -- thy going in to Shur, which is on the front of Egypt,

and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword;

and Saul hath pity -- also the people -- on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that is good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted -- it they devoted.

And the word of Yehovah is unto Samuel, saying,

`I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;` and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Yehovah all the night.

And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, `Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.`

And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, `Blessed art thou of Yehovah; I have performed the word of Yehovah.`

And Samuel saith, `And what is the noise of this flock in mine ears -- and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?`

And Saul saith, `From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Yehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.`

And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Desist, and I declare to thee that which Yehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;` and he saith to him, `Speak.`

And Samuel saith, `Art not thou, if thou art little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Yehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel,

and Yehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed;

and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Yehovah -- and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Yehovah?`

And Saul saith unto Samuel, `Because -- I have hearkened to the voice of Yehovah, and I go in the way which Yehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted;

and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Yehovah thy God in Gilgal.`

And Samuel saith, `Hath Yehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Yehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;

for a sin of divination is rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim is stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Yehovah, He also doth reject thee from being king.`

And Saul saith unto Samuel, `I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Yehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice;

and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Yehovah.`

And Samuel saith unto Saul, `I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Yehovah, and Yehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.`

And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe -- and it is rent!

And Samuel saith unto him, `Yehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou;

and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He is not a man to be penitent.`

And he saith, `I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Yehovah thy God.`

And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Yehovah;

and Samuel saith, `Bring ye nigh unto me Agag king of Amalek,` and Agag cometh unto him daintily, and Agag saith, `Surely the bitterness of death hath turned aside.`

And Samuel saith, `As thy sword bereaved women -- so is thy mother bereaved above women;` and Samuel heweth Agag in pieces before Yehovah in Gilgal.

And Samuel goeth to Ramath, and Saul hath gone unto his house -- to Gibeah of Saul.

And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Yehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.