1 Samuel 15:14

14 However, Samuel asked, "But what is this sound of sheep in my ears and this sound of cows that I hear?"

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 Early in the morning he got up to meet Saul. Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel to set up a monument in his honor. Then he left there and went to Gilgal."

13 Samuel came to Saul, who said, "The LORD bless you. I carried out the LORD's instructions."

14 However, Samuel asked, "But what is this sound of sheep in my ears and this sound of cows that I hear?"

15 Saul answered, "The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to the LORD your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed."

16 "Be quiet," Samuel told Saul, "and let me tell you what the LORD told me last night." "Speak," Saul replied.