13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you.p I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

14 Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?”

15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God,q but the rest we destroyed.”r

16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” he replied.

17 Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant,s haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel 18 and then sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’