וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל אֹתִי שָׁלַח ה' לִמְשָׁחֳךָ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל עַמּוֹ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע לְקוֹל דִּבְרֵי ה'

Samuel said to Saul: The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel. You do not rule by your own right, but as God’s emissary; now, heed the sound of the words of the Lord.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת פָּקַדְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עֲמָלֵק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּעֲלֹתוֹ מִמִּצְרָיִם

So said the Lord of hosts: I have remembered that which Amalek did to Israel, that it situated itself in ambush and waged war against Israel on the way, when it came up from Egypt. This eternal remembrance of Amalek is mentioned in the Torah as well.

עַתָּה לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָה אֶת עֲמָלֵק וְהַחֲרַמְתֶּם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וְלֹא תַחְמֹל עָלָיו וְהֵמַתָּה מֵאִישׁ עַד אִשָּׁה מֵעֹלֵל וְעַד יוֹנֵק מִשּׁוֹר וְעַד שֶׂה מִגָּמָל וְעַד חֲמוֹר

Now, go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy everything that it has; do not have pity on it; you shall put to death both men and women, both infants and suckling babes, both oxen and sheep, both camels and donkeys. Nothing of Amalek may remain, in accordance with the commandment: “You shall expunge the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.”

וַיְשַׁמַּע שָׁאוּל אֶת הָעָם וַיִּפְקְדֵם בּטְלָאִים מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף רַגְלִי וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אֶת אִישׁ יְהוּדָה

Saul summoned the people, and he counted them in Tela’im, the name of a place or a region. Alternatively, he counted them using lambs [tela’im]; each person gave a lamb, so that the lambs could be counted instead of the people. The tally was two hundred thousand infantrymen from tribes other than Judah and ten thousand men of Judah.

וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל עַד עִיר עֲמָלֵק וַיָּרֶב בַּנָּחַל

Saul came to the main city of Amalek, and he attacked in the ravine near the city.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל הַקֵּינִי לְכוּ סֻּרוּ רְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵקִי פֶּן אֹסִפְךָ עִמּוֹ ואַתָּה עָשִׂיתָה חֶסֶד עִם כָּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲלוֹתָם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיָּסַר קֵינִי מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵק

Saul said to the Kenite, the tribe of Yitro’s descendants: Go, withdraw and come down, distance yourselves, from the midst of the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them during the battle, a result that I do not want, and you, your forefather Yitro, acted with kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up from Egypt. The Kenites withdrew from the midst of Amalek.

וַיַּךְ שָׁאוּל אֶת עֲמָלֵק מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי מִצְרָיִם

Saul smote Amalek from Havila as you come to Shur, which is before Egypt. Apparently, Amalek had become a large people during this period, and was scattered over vast areas in the southern Negev and perhaps even in modern-day Jordan.

וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק חָי וְאֶת כָּל הָעָם הֶחֱרִים לְפִי חָרֶב

He, Saul, apprehended Agag king of Amalek, took him captive, alive, but all the people he utterly destroyed by sword, as Samuel had commanded him.

וַיַּחְמֹל שָׁאוּל וְהָעָם עַל אֲגָג וְעַל מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר וְהַמִּשְׁנִים וְעַל הַכָּרִים וְעַל כָּל הַטּוֹב וְלֹא אָבוּ הַחֲרִימָם וְכָל הַמְּלָאכָה נְמִבְזָה וְנָמֵס אֹתָהּ הֶחֱרִימוּ

Saul and the people spared Agag. It is unclear what unique quality of Agag caused Saul’s men to spare him; perhaps they were impressed by his fighting in battle. And they also spared the best of the flocks, the cattle, the second best, or the second-best sheep and oxen, or the fat ones; the fatted sheep, and all that was good, and they were unwilling to destroy them, even though they were commanded to destroy everything. But all the spurned and contemptible animals, produce, or other property of little value, that they utterly destroyed.

וַיְהִי דְּבַר ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל לֵאמֹר

The word of the Lord was to Samuel, saying:

נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ כִּי שָׁב מֵאַחֲרַי וְאֶת דְּבָרַי לֹא הֵקִים וַיִּחַר לִשְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּזְעַק אֶל ה' כָּל הַלָּיְלָה

I have regretted that I crowned Saul as king, because he has turned from following Me, he has not followed Me, and did not fulfill My words. Samuel was distressed, and he cried out, implored and argued to the Lord all night.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם שְׁמוּאֵל לִקְרַאת שָׁאוּל בַּבֹּקֶר וַיֻּגַּד לִשְׁמוּאֵל לֵאמֹר בָּא שָׁאוּל הַכַּרְמֶלָה וְהִנֵּה מַצִּיב לוֹ יָד וַיִּסֹּב וַיַּעֲבֹר וַיֵּרֶד הַגִּלְגָּל

Nevertheless, Samuel arose early in the morning to meet Saul. It seems he did not reveal his feelings and his inner turmoil at all; he was quick to fulfill his duty. It was told to Samuel, saying: Saul came to Carmel, a locale in the south of the land of Judah, and behold, he is establishing for himself a monument for the great victory over Amalek. He, Samuel, turned and passed, and descended to Gilgal.

וַיָּבֹא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ שָׁאוּל בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה לַה' הֲקִימֹתִי אֶת דְּבַר ה'

Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him: Blessed are you to the Lord, welcome; I have fulfilled the word of the Lord. I have waged war against and defeated Amalek.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל וּמֶה קוֹל הַצֹּאן הַזֶּה בְּאָזְנָי וְקוֹל הַבָּקָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ

Samuel said: But what is this sound of the flocks in my ears, and the sound of the cattle that I hear? Where do all these animals that I hear come from?

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל מֵעֲמָלֵקִי הֱבִיאוּם אֲשֶׁר חָמַל הָעָם עַל מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר לְמַעַן זְבֹחַ לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְאֶת הַיּוֹתֵר הֶחֱרַמְנוּ

Saul said: They brought them from the Amalekites; as the people spared the best of the flocks and the cattle, not for plunder, but rather in order to present offerings to the Lord your God. The people spared some of the animals because they preferred to use them for offerings rather than just to kill them. But the rest we utterly destroyed. Saul justified their actions by saying that even if they did not fully obey the instructions, their intentions were for the sake of Heaven.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל הֶרֶף וְאַגִּידָה לְּךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' אֵלַי הַלָּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ דַּבֵּר

Samuel said to Saul: Desist, allow me, or: Stop giving excuses, and I will tell you that which the Lord spoke to me this night. He, Saul, said to him: Speak.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הֲלוֹא אִם קָטֹן אַתָּה בְּעֵינֶיךָ רֹאשׁ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָתָּה וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ ה' לְמֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל

Samuel said: Truly, although you are small in your eyes, and therefore you are not firm enough, you are still the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed you as king over Israel. Even according to your justification that the breach was not your initiative, but rather you succumbed to the people’s pressure, you are still responsible, as you are the leader and the mission was given to you. Do not excuse your behavior by citing the wishes of others.

וַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ ה' בְּדָרֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר לֵךְ וְהַחֲרַמְתָּה אֶת הַחַטָּאִים אֶת עֲמָלֵק וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בוֹ עַד כַּלּוֹתָם אֹתָם

The Lord sent you upon a path, a specific task, and He said: Go and utterly destroy the sinners, Amalek, and make war against it until you, Israel, annihilate them.

וְלָמָּה לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל ה' וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל וַתַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה'

Why did you not heed the voice of the Lord? You pounced upon the spoils, and you did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּקוֹל ה' וָאֵלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחַנִי ה'וָאָבִיא אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק וְאֶת עֲמָלֵק הֶחֱרַמְתִּי

Saul immediately said to Samuel in protest: Indeed, I heeded the voice of the Lord, and I went on the path that the Lord sent me. I obeyed God’s command by initiating a war against Amalek, even though they were not currently preparing to attack Israel. And I brought Agag king of Amalek as a captive, and I utterly destroyed Amalek, as you commanded. This was an absolute victory.

וַיִּקַּח הָעָם מֵהַשָּׁלָל צֹאן וּבָקָר רֵאשִׁית הַחֵרֶם לִזְבֹּחַ לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּגִּלְגָּל

The people took from the spoils, flocks, and cattle, the choicest of the proscribed, the spoils, to present offerings to the Lord your God in Gilgal. We completed the mission; we won the war and killed the entire nation. The men simply thought it was preferable to make use of these animals.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הַחֵפֶץ לַה' בְּעֹלוֹת וּזְבָחִים כִּשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל ה'הִנֵּה שְׁמֹעַ מִזֶּבַח טוֹב לְהַקְשִׁיב מֵחֵלֶב אֵילִים

Samuel said: Does the Lord desire burnt offerings and feast offerings like He desires heeding the voice of the Lord? The value of sacrificing offerings cannot be compared to the importance of listening to God; whereas fulfilling God’s command is mandatory, offerings have no inherent value, and God does not need them. Behold, to obey is better than a fine offering, and to heed God is better than the fat of rams.

כִּי חַטַּאת קֶסֶם מֶרִי וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַר יַעַן מָאַסְתָּ אֶת דְּבַר ה'וַיִּמְאָסְךָ מִמֶּלֶךְ

For the sin of sorcery is defiance. Like sorcery, the severity of your sin is due not to the act itself but rather to the rebelliousness inherent in disobeying God’s command. And wrongdoing, futility or sin; and teraphim, household idols, are your stubbornness. Your excuses and your refusal to admit your sin are as grave a sin as idolatry. Some commentaries explain that the common denominator of sorcery, idolatry, and Saul’s sin is a lack of complete trust in God. Because you spurned the word of the Lord, you disobeyed Him and followed the will of the people or your own will, He has spurned you as king. As far as God is concerned you are no longer the chosen king; although you are still in power, you are now like any other person.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל חָטָאתִי כִּי עָבַרְתִּי אֶת פִּי ה' וְאֶת דְּבָרֶיךָ כִּי יָרֵאתִי אֶת הָעָם וָאֶשְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם

Saul said to Samuel: I have sinned, for I violated the directive of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people, and I heeded their voice. Similar occurrences transpired previously as well where Saul was subject to pressure from the people (see 10:27, 13:14).

וְעַתָּה שָׂא נָא אֶת חַטָּאתִי וְשׁוּב עִמִּי וְאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לַה'

Now please, forgive my sin, and return with me, and I will prostrate myself before the Lord with you, so that people will see that you still support me.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל לֹא אָשׁוּב עִמָּךְ כִּי מָאַסְתָּה אֶת דְּבַר ה' וַיִּמְאָסְךָ ה' מִהְיוֹת מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל

Samuel said to Saul: I will not return with you, as you spurned the word of the Lord, and the Lord has spurned you from being king over Israel.

וַיִּסֹּב שְׁמוּאֵל לָלֶכֶת וַיַּחֲזֵק בִּכְנַף מְעִילוֹ וַיִּקָּרַע

Samuel turned to go, and he, Saul, seized the edge of his, Samuel’s, robe in order to impede him, and it tore as a result of Saul’s pulling it.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו שְׁמוּאֵל קָרַע ה' אֶת מַמְלְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ הַיּוֹם וּנְתָנָהּ לְרֵעֲךָ הַטּוֹב מִמֶּךָּ

Samuel said to him: This tear symbolizes that the Lord has torn the kingship of Israel from you today, and has given it to your counterpart, who is better than you.

וְגַם נֵצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יְשַׁקֵּר וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם כִּי לֹא אָדָם הוּא לְהִנָּחֵם

Moreover, the Eternity of Israel, God, will not lie and will not regret, change His mind, after stating to you that you have lost your status. You cannot appease Him and request that He retract His decision, as He is not like a man that regrets.

וַיֹּאמֶר חָטָאתִי עַתָּה כַּבְּדֵנִי נָא נֶגֶד זִקְנֵי עַמִּי וְנֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשׁוּב עִמִּי וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ

He, Saul, said again: I have sinned; I accept the reproach and the decree. Now please, honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, and I will prostrate myself before the Lord your God. Please come with me to pray and bring an offering, so that at least it will not publicly appear that you are abandoning me. Otherwise, the private prophecy that you related to me will be misunderstood by the people as a tragic event.

וַיָּשָׁב שְׁמוּאֵל אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁאוּל לַה'

Although Samuel had already turned to leave, he acquiesced to Saul’s pleading. Samuel returned, following Saul, and Saul prostrated himself before the Lord. Although Samuel did not retract his statement, he agreed to Saul’s request to prevent his humiliation.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק וַיֵּלֶךְ אֵלָיו אֲגַג מַעֲדַנֹּת וַיֹּאמֶר אֲגָג אָכֵן סָר מַר הַמָּוֶת

Samuel said: Bring to me Agag king of Amalek. Samuel wanted to finish the job. Agag went to him falteringly [ma’adanot]. Other commentaries explain that Agag came to him in chains. This interpretation is based on transposing the letters of the word ma’adanot, from ayin-dalet-nun to ayin-nun-dalet, meaning chained. Other commentaries say Agag came proudly. Agag said: Indeed, the bitterness of death is at hand. He understood that Samuel intended to kill him immediately.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר שִׁכְּלָה נָשִׁים חַרְבֶּךָ כֵּן תִּשְׁכַּל מִנָּשִׁים אִמֶּךָ וַיְשַׁסֵּף שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת אֲגָג לִפְנֵי ה' בַּגִּלְגָּל

Samuel said: Just as your sword rendered women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. You have no legitimate claim in your defense. Samuel slashed Agag before the Lord in Gilgal. Samuel did not kill Agag in an honorable way, but in the manner in which wild animals are exterminated.

וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתָה וְשָׁאוּל עָלָה אֶל בֵּיתוֹ גִּבְעַת שָׁאוּל

Samuel went to Rama, his home, and Saul went up to his house in Givat Shaul.

וְלֹא יָסַף שְׁמוּאֵל לִרְאוֹת אֶת שָׁאוּל עַד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ כִּי הִתְאַבֵּל שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל וַה' נִחָם כִּי הִמְלִיךְ אֶת שָׁאוּל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל

Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his, Samuel’s, death, as Samuel mourned for Saul, not because he was angry with Saul; but the Lord regretted that He had crowned Saul king over Israel.