151 Then Samuel said to Saul , " The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people , over Israel ; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord . 2 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , 'I will punish Amalek for 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 utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman , child and infant , ox and sheep , camel and donkey .' " 4 Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim , 200,000 e foot soldiers and 10,000 e men of Judah . 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley . 6 Saul said to the Kenites , "Go , depart , go down from among the Amalekites , so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt ." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites . 7 So Saul defeated the Amalekites , from Havilah as you go to Shur , which is east e of Egypt . 8 He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive , and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword . 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep , the oxen , the fatlings , the lambs , and all that was good , and were not willing to destroy them utterly ; but everything e despised and worthless , that they utterly destroyed .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 15:1-9
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.