Agag

Agag was the king of the Amalekites defeated by Saul in the campaign commanded by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 15). Samuel had given explicit divine orders to destroy every Amalekite—person and animal—but Saul spared Agag and the best livestock, claiming he intended to sacrifice them. Samuel condemned Saul's disobedience with the famous words, 'to obey is better than sacrifice,' and announced the rejection of Saul's kingdom (1 Samuel 15:22–23). Samuel himself then hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD at Gilgal. Saul's failure to carry out the divine command marked the turning point in his relationship with God and Samuel.