9 Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, 15:9 Lit and the second ones as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.
20 "But I did obey the Lord! " Saul answered. 15:20 Lit answered Samuel "I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder — the best of what was set apart for destruction — to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal." 15:21 Ex 32:22–23
22 Then Samuel said:
Does the Lord 15:22 Ps 40:6–8; 51:16–17; Is 1:11–15; Mc 6:6–8 take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,
to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. 15:22 Heb 10:5–7
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, 15:23 Dt 18:10
and defiance is like wickedness 15:23 Gn 31:19,34 and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king. 15:23 1Sm 8:7