1 Samuel 15:1–8

Saul’s Disobedience

1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “aThe Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the 1words of the Lord.

2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will 1punish Amalek afor what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.

3 ‘Now go and strike Amalek and autterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but bput to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

4 Then Saul summoned the people and 1numbered them in aTelaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.

6 Saul said to athe Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for byou showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 So aSaul 1defeated the Amalekites, from bHavilah as you go to cShur, which is 2east of Egypt.

8 He captured aAgag the king of the Amalekites alive, and butterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.