²⁹ “‘No person devoted to destruction^[a] may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.^(A)

¹⁸ And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ ¹⁹ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder^(A) and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

²⁰ “But I did obey^(B) the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. ²¹ The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

²² But Samuel replied:

² Then Israel made this vow^(A) to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy^[a](B) their cities.” ³ The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites^(C) over to them. They completely destroyed them^(D) and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.^[b](E)