Shmuel Alef 15:14

14 And Shmuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the tzon (sheep) in mine ears, and the lowing of the bakar (cattle) which I hear?

Shmuel Alef 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.

Shmuel Alef 15:14 In-Context

12 And when Shmuel rose early to meet Sha’ul in the boker, it was told Shmuel, saying, Sha’ul came to Carmel, and, hinei, he set up a yad (hand, i.e. memorial, monument) for himself. And he turned and went down to Gilgal.

13 And Shmuel came to Sha’ul; and Sha’ul said unto him, Baruch atah l’Hashem; I have carried out the Devar Hashem.

14 And Shmuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the tzon (sheep) in mine ears, and the lowing of the bakar (cattle) which I hear?

15 And Sha’ul said, They have brought them from Amalek; for HaAm spared the best of the tzon and of the bakar, in order to sacrifice unto Hashem Eloheicha; and the rest we have destroyed in utter cherem desruction.

16 Then Shmuel said unto Sha’ul, Stop, and I will tell thee what Hashem hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.