1 Samuel 15:2–9

²This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessed^B what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.^{a 3}Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have.^b Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”^c

⁴Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. ⁵Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. ⁶He warned the Kenites,^d “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt,^e go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.

⁷Then Saul struck down the Amalekites^f from Havilah^g all the way to Shur,^h which is next to Egypt. ⁸He captured King Agagⁱ of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.^{j 9}Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals,^C as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.