12. Early the next morning he went to talk with Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to Carmel, where he had a monument built so everyone would remember his victory. Then he left for Gilgal.”
13. Samuel finally caught up with Saul, and Saul told him, “I hope the Lord will bless you! I have done what the Lord told me.”
14. “Then why,” Samuel asked, “do I hear sheep and cattle?”
15. “The army took them from the Amalekites,” Saul explained. “They kept the best sheep and cattle, so they could sacrifice them to the Lord your God. But we destroyed everything else.”
16. “Stop!” Samuel said. “Let me tell you what the Lord told me last night.”“All right,” Saul answered.
17. Samuel continued, “You may not think you're very important, but the Lord chose you to be king, and you are in charge of the tribes of Israel.
18. When the Lord sent you on this mission, he told you to wipe out those worthless Amalekites.
19. Why didn't you listen to the Lord? Why did you keep the animals and make him angry?”
20. “But I did listen to the Lord!” Saul answered. “He sent me on a mission, and I went. I captured King Agag and destroyed his nation.
21. All the animals were going to be destroyed anyway. That's why the army brought the best sheep and cattle to Gilgal as sacrifices to the Lord your God.”
22. “Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the Lord really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn't want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.
23. Rebelling against God or disobeying him because you are proud is just as bad as worshipping idols or asking them for advice. You refused to do what God told you, so God has decided that you can't be king.”
24. “I have sinned,” Saul admitted. “I disobeyed both you and the Lord. I was afraid of the army, and I listened to them instead.
25. Please forgive me and come back with me so I can worship the Lord.”
26. “No!” Samuel replied, “You disobeyed the Lord, and I won't go back with you. Now the Lord has said that you can't be king of Israel any longer.”