151 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah: 2 'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt. 3 Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.' 4 And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand 'are' men of Judah. 5 And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley; 6 and Saul saith unto the Kenite, 'Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;' and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek. 7 And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah—thy going in to Shur, which 'is' on the front of Egypt, 8 and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword; 9 and Saul hath pity—also the people—on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that 'is' good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted—it they devoted.
10 And the word of Jehovah is unto Samuel, saying, 11 'I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;' and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Jehovah all the night. 12 And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, 'Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.' 13 And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, 'Blessed 'art' thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.' 14 And Samuel saith, 'And what 'is' the noise of this flock in mine ears—and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?' 15 And Saul saith, 'From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.' 16 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;' and he saith to him, 'Speak.' 17 And Samuel saith, 'Art not thou, if thou 'art' little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel, 18 and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed; 19 and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah—and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?' 20 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'Because—I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted; 21 and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.' 22 And Samuel saith, 'Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as 'in' hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams; 23 for a sin of divination 'is' rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim 'is' stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from 'being' king.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 15:1-23
Commentary on 1 Samuel 15:1-9
(Read 1 Samuel 15:1-9)
The sentence of condemnation against the Amalekites had gone forth long before, Revelation 18:4. As the commandment had been express, and a test of Saul's obedience, his conduct evidently was the effect of a proud, rebellious spirit. He destroyed only the refuse, that was good for little. That which was now destroyed was sacrificed to the justice of God.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 15:10-23
(Read 1 Samuel 15:10-23)
Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; "He is turned back from following me." Hereby he made God his enemy. Samuel spent a whole night in pleading for Saul. The rejection of sinners is the grief of believers: God delights not in their death, nor should we. Saul boasts to Samuel of his obedience. Thus sinners think, by justifying themselves, to escape being judged of the Lord. The noise the cattle made, like the rust of the silver, James 5:3, witnessed against him. Many boast of obedience to the command of God; but what means then their indulgence of the flesh, their love of the world, their angry and unkind spirit, and their neglect of holy duties, which witness against them? See of what evil covetousness is the root; and see what is the sinfulness of sin, and notice that in it which above any thing else makes it evil in the sight of the Lord; it is disobedience: "Thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord." Carnal, deceitful hearts, like Saul, think to excuse themselves from God's commandments by what pleases themselves. It is hard to convince the children of disobedience. But humble, sincere, and conscientious obedience to the will of God, is more pleasing and acceptable to him than all burnt-offering and sacrifices. God is more glorified and self more denied, by obedience than by sacrifice. It is much easier to bring a bullock or lamb to be burned upon the altar, than to bring every high thought into obedience to God, and to make our will subject to his will. Those are unfit and unworthy to rule over men, who are not willing that God should rule over them.