1. One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the lord!
2. This is what the lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt.
3. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
4. So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah.
5. Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley.
6. Saul sent this warning to the Kenites: “Move away from where the Amalekites live, or you will die with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites packed up and left.
7. Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.
8. He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.
9. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
10. Then the lord said to Samuel,
11. “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the lord all night.