Sam'u-el was therefore obliged to forego his earnest pleadings for Saul, and become the messenger of Divine Judgment. The earnest intercessor must now be changed into the stern accuser. And so on the next morning he went to Saul with the decree of GOD.
When the king saw him drawing near, he said to him, "Blessed be thou of the LORD, I have performed the Commandment of the LORD."
To this greeting the faithful prophet replied, "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
Saul then tried to take refuge in evasions and falsehoods; he sought to blame the people for his own sin, and said that the best of the sheep and oxen had been taken for sacrifices unto the LORD. By every word that fell from his lips he revealed the complete breakdown of his moral character, forfeited his own self-respect, and foretold his own ruin. He had spared the life of A'gag merely for the glory of displaying a distinguished captive, and he even boasted of the capture when faced by Sam'u-el's charge of unfaithfulness to the Command of GOD. Step by step he added a worse lie to the previous one until he wove about himself a web of self-condemnation from which it was impossible to escape.
Sam'u-el cut short the excuses of the king by reminding him of the humble station in life from which he had been raised to the highest place in the nation, and of the marked difference between the modesty and humility which he possessed at the time of his call and the proud, conceited spirit which he now displayed. In his final words of condemnation the prophet uttered this sublime, eternal truth:
"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
Then he announced the Solemn Judgment of GOD in these words:
"Because thou hast rejected the Word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king."
Saul then confessed his sin, admitting that he had disobeyed the Command of GOD. He used the words of true repentance, but lacked the spirit of it. He spoke as if in sorrow, but there was no genuine sorrow in his heart. He pleaded with Sam'u-el for forgiveness, but there could be no forgiveness for him.
When Sam'u-el turnt to leave him, he became desperate at the thought of being disgraced before the people. He seized the prophet's robe in such frenzy that it was torn, pleading with him to remain for worship, lest he be put to shame at once. Sam'e-el agreed to stand beside him while he worshiped, thus retaining honor before the elders of Is'ra-el for the time being.
Sam'u-el then asked that A'gag, the captive king of the Am'a-lek-ites, be brought to him. With his own hand he executed the Judgment of GOD against the wicked heathen king, stabbing him with a mortal blow. The story then concludes with these tragic words: " Sam'u-el came no more to see Saul."
