But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning. ¹  Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us!

Why haven’t you obeyed ¹  the Lord? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the Lord’s estimation.” ² 

Saul accepted Jonathan’s advice ¹  and took an oath, “As surely as the Lord lives, he will not be put to death.”

But if you don’t obey ¹  the Lord and rebel against what the Lord says, the hand of the Lord will be against both you and your king. ² 

Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? ¹  Certainly, ²  obedience ³  is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than ⁴  the fat of rams.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. ¹  The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”

As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel. ¹  But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by ²  Israel.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. ¹  For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

Then Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed ¹  the Lord! I went on the campaign ²  the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites.

Since you did not obey the Lord ¹  and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today.