The sounds that fell on the prophet's ears disproved the statement of the disobedient king. To the pointed question, "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" Saul made answer, "They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed." The people had obeyed Saul's directions; but in order to shield himself, he was willing to charge upon them the sin of his disobedience. The message of Saul's rejection brought unspeakable grief to the heart of Samuel. It had to be delivered before the whole army of Israel, when they were filled with pride and triumphal rejoicing over a victory that was accredited to the valor and generalship 631 of their king, for Saul had not associated God with the success of Israel in this conflict; but when the prophet saw the evidence of Saul's rebellion, he was stirred with indignation that he, who had been so highly favored of God, should transgress the commandment of Heaven and lead Israel into sin. Samuel was not deceived by the subterfuge of the king. With mingled grief and indignation he declared, "Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. . . . When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?" He repeated the command of the Lord concerning Amalek, and demanded the reason of the king's disobedience.

Samuel var dybt bedrøvet over at skulle overbringe budskabet om Sauls forkastelse. Hele Israels hær skulle høre det på et tidspunkt, hvor de var fyldt af stolthed og sejrsglæde efter en sejr, som de gav deres konges tapperhed og dygtighed hele æren for; thi Saul havde ikke nævnt, at det var Gud, der havde givet Israel sejren i denne krig. Da profeten så Sauls selvrådige handlemåde, blev han fyldt med harme over, at dette menneske, som Gud havde vist så megen ære, kunne få sig selv til at overtræde Himmelens bud og lede folket i synd. Samuel lod sig ikke føre bag lyset af kongen. Med en blanding af sorg og harme udbrød han: "Det er nok! Jeg vil kundgøre dig, hvad Herren i nat har sagt mig! ..... Om du end ikke regner dig selv for noget, er du så ikke høvding for Israels stammer, og salvede Herren dig ikke til konge over Israel?" Han gentog Herrens befaling angående Amalek og bad om en forklaring på kongens ulydighed.