1. Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. So listen now to a message from him.
2. The Lord who rules over all says, 'I will punish the Amalekites because of what they did to Israel. As the people of Israel came up from Egypt, the Amalekites attacked them.
3. " 'Now go. Attack the Amalekites. Set everything apart that belongs to them. Set it apart to me in a special way to be destroyed. Do not spare the Amalekites. Put the men and women to death. Put the children and babies to death. Also kill the cattle, sheep, camels and donkeys.' "
4. So Saul brought his men together at Telaim. The total number was 200,000 soldiers on foot from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah.
5. He went to the city of Amalek. He had some of his men hide and wait in the valley.