Samuel was grieved to the heart by the persistency with which the king refused to see and confess his sin. He sorrowfully asked: “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.” {4T 146.4}

Samuel blev bedrøvet i sit hjerte, fordi Saul vedblivende nægtede at indse og bekende sin synd. Sørgmodigt spurgte han: »Mon Herren har lige så meget behag i brændofre (147) og slagtofre som i lydighed mod Herrens røst? Nej, at adlyde er mere værd end slagtoffer og at være lydhør er mere værd end vædderfedt; thi genstridighed er trolddomssynd og egensindighed er afgudsbrøde. Fordi du har forkastet Herrens ord, har han forkastet dig, så du ikke mere skal være konge!"