1 Samuel 15:19–24

19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunderv and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

20 “But I did obeyw the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the Lord?

To obey is better than sacrifice,x

and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,y

and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.

Because you have rejectedz the word of the Lord,

he has rejected you as king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.a I violatedb the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraidc of the men and so I gave in to them.