1 Samuel 15
Samuel said to Talut, Allah sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen to the voice of the words of Allah. 2Thus says Allah, Lord of the universe, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. 4Talut summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5Talut came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6Talut said to the Kenites, Go, depart, leave the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all Bani-Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7Talut struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt. 8He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Talut and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10Then came the word of Allah to Samuel, saying, 11It grieves me that I have set up Talut to be king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. Samuel was angry; and he cried to Allah all night. 12Samuel rose early to meet Talut in the morning; and Samuel was told, Talut came to Carmel, and, behold, he set up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. 13Samuel came to Talut; and Talut said to him, Blessed are you by Allah: I have performed the commandment of Allah. 14Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen which I hear? 15Talut said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to Allah your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16Then Samuel said to Talut, Stay, and I will tell you what Allah has said to me this night. Talut said to him, Go on. 17Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Allah anointed you king over Israel; 18and Allah sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy those sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19Why then didn't you obey the voice of Allah, but flew on the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of Allah?" 20Talut said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Allah, and have gone the way which Allah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Allah your God in Gilgal. 22Samuel said, Has Allah as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Allah? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Allah, he has also rejected you from being king. 24Talut said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Allah, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship Allah. 26Samuel said to Talut, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Allah, and Allah has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27As Samuel turned away to leave, Talut laid hold on the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28Samuel said to him, Allah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbour of yours who is better than you. 29Also the Strength of Israel does not lie nor change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind. 30Then Talut said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, Please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship Allah your God. 31So Samuel returned with Talut; and Talut worshiped Allah. 32Then Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Allah in Gilgal. 34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Talut went up to his house to Gibeah of Talut. 35Samuel came no more to see Talut until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Talut: and Allah was grieved that he had made Talut king over Israel.