1 Samuel 15:19

19 Why, then, did you not obey him? Why did you rush to grab the loot, and so do what displeases the Lord?"

1 Samuel 15:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:19

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord
Who had made him king, and sent him on this errand, and gave him such plain directions, and such strong orders to make an entire consumption of Amalek:

but didst fly upon the spoil;
like a bird of prey, such as an eagle or vulture, not to devote it to the Lord, by an entire destruction of it, but to seize it for his own use, as being greedily desirous and covetous of it:

and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?
by disobeying his commands, from whose sight nothing can be hid.

1 Samuel 15:19 In-Context

17 Samuel answered, "Even though you consider yourself of no importance, you are the leader of the tribes of Israel. The Lord anointed you king of Israel,

18 and he sent you out with orders to destroy those wicked people of Amalek. He told you to fight until you had killed them all.

19 Why, then, did you not obey him? Why did you rush to grab the loot, and so do what displeases the Lord?"

20 "I did obey the Lord," Saul replied. "I went out as he told me to, brought back King Agag, and killed all the Amalekites.

21 But my men did not kill the best sheep and cattle that they captured; instead, they brought them here to Gilgal to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord your God."