Saul Spares King Agag

15 Samuel also said to Saul, ^(A)“The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord.

¹⁶ “Tomorrow about this time ^(A)I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, ^(B)and you shall anoint him ^[a]commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have ^(C)looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

¹⁴ If you ^(A)fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God.

¹² Only may the Lord ^(A)give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. ^13 (B)Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord ^[a]charged Moses concerning Israel. ^(C)Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.

¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, ^(A)“You have done foolishly. ^(B)You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

¹⁶ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

And he said to him, “Speak on.”

¹⁷ So Samuel said, ^(A)“When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? ¹⁸ Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are ^[a]consumed.’

Samuel Anoints Saul

10 Then ^(A)Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, ^(B)and kissed him and said: “Is it not because ^(C)the Lord has anointed you commander over ^(D)His ^[a]inheritance?