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.
6. Then Saul said to the Kenites, "You were kind to all of the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. Get away from the Amalekites. Then I won't have to destroy you along with them." So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7. Saul attacked the Amalekites. He struck them down all the way from Havilah to Shur. Shur was near the eastern border of Egypt.
8. He took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. He and his men totally destroyed all of Agag's people with swords.
9. But Saul and the army spared Agag. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They spared the fat calves and lambs. They spared everything that was valuable. They weren't willing to completely destroy any of those things. But they totally destroyed everything that was worthless and weak.
10. Then the Lord gave Samuel a message. He said,
11. "I am very sorry I have made Saul king. He has turned away from me. He has not done what I directed him to do." When Samuel heard that, he was troubled. He cried out to the Lord during that whole night.
12. Early the next morning Samuel got up. He went to see Saul. But Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel. There he set up a monument in his own honor. Now he has gone on down to Gilgal."
13. When Samuel got there, Saul said, "May the Lord bless you. I've done what he directed me to do."
14. But Samuel said, "Then why do I hear the baaing of sheep? Why do I hear the mooing of cattle?"
15. Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They did it to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. But we totally destroyed everything else."