1 Samuel 15:13-23

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.

17 Samuel said, "Even though you don't consider yourself great, you were the head of Israel's tribes. The LORD anointed you king of Israel.

18 And the LORD sent you on a mission. He said, 'Claim those sinners, the Amalekites, for me by destroying them. Wage war against them until they're wiped out.'

19 Why didn't you obey the LORD? Why have you taken their belongings and done what the LORD considers evil?"

20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul told Samuel. "I went where the LORD sent me, brought [back] King Agag of Amalek, and claimed the Amalekites for God.

21 The army took some of their belongings--the best sheep and cows were claimed for God--in order to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."

22 Then Samuel said, "Is the LORD as delighted with burnt offerings and sacrifices as he would be with your obedience? To follow instructions is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than sacrificing the fat of rams.

23 The sin of black magic is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. Because you rejected the word of the LORD, he rejects you as king."

1 Samuel 15:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 15

In this chapter are recorded the order Saul had from the Lord to destroy Amalek utterly, 1Sa 15:1-3 the preparation he made to put it in execution, and the success thereof, 1Sa 15:4-9 the offence the Lord took at his not obeying his order thoroughly, with which Samuel was made acquainted, and which grieved him, 1Sa 15:10,11, upon which he went out to meet Saul, and reprove him; and a long discourse upon the subject passed between them, the issue of which was, that by an irrevocable decree he was rejected from being king, 1Sa 15:12-31 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Samuel's hewing in pieces Agag king of Amalek, and of his final departure from Saul, 1Sa 15:32-35.