1 Samuel 15 God tells Samuel to rebuke Saul

 1 Samuel 15

God tells Samuel to rebuke Saul

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying,

11 I regret having made Saul king; because he stopped following me, and did not execute my words. Then Samuel was upset, and all night he cried out to the Lord.

12 And Samuel woke up early to meet Saul in the morning: and he announced to Samuel, saying, Saul has already reached Carmel, and, behold, a column has risen for him. Then he did return, and passed and went down to Gilgal.

13 So Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, Blessed are you of the Lord; I performed the word of the Lord.

14 Then Samuel said, "How is it that my sheep are bleating in my ears, and the lowing of cows that I hear?"

15 And Saul said, They brought them from Amalek: because the people forgave the best of the sheep and the cows, to offer them to the Lord your God: the rest, however, we have completely destroyed.

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait, and I will tell you what the Lord said to me tonight." And he said to him: Speak.

17 And Samuel said, Perhaps you were small in your eyes, and you were not the head of the tribes of Israel? and the Lord has anointed you king over Israel.

18 And the Lord sent you on this path, and said, Go, and utterly destroy these sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them, until they annihilate them.

19 Why then did you not listen to the voice of the Lord, but flew to the spoil, and did what seemed evil in the eyes of the Lord?

20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I heard the voice of the Lord first, and walked in the way the Lord sent me; and brought to Agag the king of Amalek, and the Amalekites I utterly destroyed;

21 But the people took the spoil of sheep and cows, the best of the forbidden ones, to offer to the Lord your God in Gilgal.

22 But Samuel said, Does the Lord have as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying his word from the Lord? behold, obeying is better than sacrificing; and to serve it better than sheep fat.

23 For rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and to preach is like iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you, lest you be king.

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned because I have pierced the saying of the Lord and your words: because I feared the people and listened to his voice.

25 Now therefore, I beseech thee, forgive me my sin: and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.

26 But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you: because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has already rejected you, lest you be king over Israel.

27 And turning Samuel to go, he took him by the edge of the cloak, and tore it.

28 Then Samuel said to him, The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor better than you.

29 And also the One who is the Force of Israel does not lie or repent: because he is not a man to repent.

30 Then he said, I have sinned; but honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel: and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.

31 Then Samuel went after Saul: and Saul worshiped the Lord.