1 Samuel 15:14

14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle 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 Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel, where he set up a monument for himself, and on returning he passed on down to Gilgal."

13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, "May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord."

14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?"

15 Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed."

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night." He replied, "Speak."