⁸ He waited for seven days, the time period indicated by Samuel.^[a] But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the army began to abandon Saul.^[b]

⁹ So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered a burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just when he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.^[c]

¹¹ But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the army had started to abandon me,^[d] and that you didn’t come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines had assembled at Micmash, ¹² I thought,^[e] ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt obligated^[f] to offer the burnt offering.”

¹³ Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed^[g] the commandment that the Lord your God gave^[h] you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom will not continue. The Lord has sought out^[i] for himself a man who is loyal to him,^[j] and the Lord has appointed^[k] him to be leader over his people, for you have not obeyed what the Lord commanded you.”