Yahweh Regrets He Made Saul King
10 Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, 11 “aI regret that I have made Saul king, for bhe has turned back from following Me and has not established My words.” And Samuel became angry and ccried out to Yahweh all night. 12 Then Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told to Samuel, saying, “Saul came to aCarmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to bGilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “aBlessed are you of Yahweh! I have established the word of Yahweh.” 14 But Samuel said, “aWhat then is this sound of the sheep in my ears and the sound of the oxen which I am hearing?” 15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for athe people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; but the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what Yahweh spoke to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
17 And Samuel said, “Is it not true, athough you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Yahweh anointed you king over Israel, 18 and Yahweh sent you on a mission and said, ‘aGo and devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahweh, abut rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh?”
20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “aI did obey the voice of Yahweh and went on the way on which Yahweh sent me and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek and have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But athe people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,
“aHas Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of Yahweh?
Behold, bto obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of adivination,
And insubordination is as bwickedness and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh,
cHe has also rejected you from being king.”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “aI have sinned; bI have indeed trespassed against the command of Yahweh and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 So now, aplease forgive my sin and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for ayou have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 Then Samuel turned to go, but aSaul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “aYahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the aEternal One of Israel bwill not lie or have regret; for He is not a man that He should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; abut please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, bthat I may worship Yahweh your God.” 31 So Samuel returned, following after Saul, and Saul worshiped Yahweh.