1 Samuel 15:14

14 But Sh'mu'el answered, "If so, why do I hear sheep bleating and cows mooing?"

1 Samuel 15:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:14

And Samuel said, what meaneth then this bleating of the sheep
in mine ears
For the orders were to destroy all living creatures belonging to the Amalekites, ( 1 Samuel 15:3 ) if therefore Saul had performed the commandment of the Lord, as he said he had, from whence were these sheep Samuel heard bleating?

and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
where do they come from? these questions he put to convict him of the falsehood he had delivered; the bleating and lowing of these creatures proved him a liar, and were witnesses of his breach of the divine command; and one would think every bleating and lowing of these must alarm his conscience, unless dreadfully stupefied.

1 Samuel 15:14 In-Context

12 Sh'mu'el got up early in the morning to meet Sha'ul; however, Sh'mu'el was told, "Sha'ul came to Karmel to set up a monument for himself there, but now he has left and is on his way down to Gilgal."

13 Sh'mu'el went to Sha'ul; Sha'ul said to him, "May ADONAI bless you! I have done what ADONAI ordered."

14 But Sh'mu'el answered, "If so, why do I hear sheep bleating and cows mooing?"

15 Sha'ul said, "They brought them from the 'Amaleki, because the people spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to ADONAI your God. But we completely destroyed the rest."

16 Then Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "Stop! I'm going to tell you what ADONAI said to me last night." He said, "Speak."