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Chapter 15 records Saul's Final Test. One day Samuel came to Saul with a command from the Lord. "Destroy the nation of Am-a-lek" because they had refused to allow the Israelites to cross their land when they were on their way to the Promise Land. (Exodus 17)
Now who were the Amalekites? They were descendants of Am-a-lek, Esau's grandson. (Gen. 36) They were called the first of the nations (Num. 24). They occupied a great deal of the land that the Israelites wondered through for 40 years. They were perpetual enemies of the Israelites since Esau and Jacob. In Deut. 25, they attacked the Israelites under Moses. They were defeated by Joshua at Ref-i-dim . Gideon defeated them in Judges 6. God used them as punishment for Israel when Israel worshipped pagan gods (Judges 10). They were last heard of in the 83 Psalm mentioned simply as a tribe in the south. No evidence exists today of them ever having lived.
So God commanded Saul to literally destroy the nation of Am-a-lek, men, women, children, animals, everything. So Saul mobilized an army of 210,000 troops, 200,000 from the north (Israel) and 10,000 from the south (Judah). They assembled at Telaim where they were numbered. (Telaim was either a city or a means of numbering, as many believe. Telaim means, numbered like lambs, by 10's.)
Before Saul attacked the Amalikites, he warned the Kenites. Now the Kenites lived amongst the Amalikites and because they had been kind to the Israelites, Saul felt that they should be warned to leave. Perhaps you remember that the Kenites were the ancestors of Jethro, Moses' father-on-law. They dwelled in tents and were familiar with the wilderness and the nomadic way of life that the Israelites had to learn in the 40 years of wondering in the wilderness. So they became like "eyes" for the Israelites during that time. Thus being fore warned, the Kenites packed up and left.
Then Saul attacked and destroyed the Amalikites from Havilah to Shur (Sinai Peninsula). Obviously some escaped but most were killed. But Saul did not do exactly as the Lord had commanded, he took their King, Agag, prisoner and he kept the best of the animals for himself. When the Lord saw this He said to Samuel, I am sorry that I ever made Saul king of Israel."
Samuel set out to find Saul. Saul had gone to Mt. Carmel to erect a monument to himself then he went to Gilgal. When Samuel found him he bragged that he had done all that the Lord had commanded him to do, but upon questioning, he admitted he had kept some of the choice animals for himself but he was going to sacrifice them to the Lord. Then Samuel told Saul something we might all take notice of, "Obedience is better than Sacrifice." He told Saul that the Lord had rejected him as King of Israel and Saul cried out for forgiveness but Samuel could do only what the Lord had commanded.
Samuel had King Agag brought before him and he took a sword and chopped him to pieces. Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul returned to Gibeah. They never saw one another again but Samuel mourned for Saul continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made Saul king of Israel.
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