Why then didn't you obey the voice of Yahweh, but flew on the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?"
God directed Saul through Samuel (1 Samuel 14:1-3). Consequently for Saul to disobey what Samuel said was tantamount to disobeying God. Samuel reminded Saul that Yahweh was the Lord of hosts (1 Samuel 14:2), his commander-in-chief. Saul’s mission was to annihilate the Amalekites plus their animals completely (1 Samuel 14:3; cf. Deuteronomy 7:2-6; Deuteronomy 12:2-3; Deuteronomy 20:16-18). God had commanded Joshua to do the same to Jericho; every breathing thing was to die (Joshua 6:17-21; cf. Deuteronomy 20:16-18). Saul was now to put the Amalekites under the ban (Heb. herem). This practice was not unique to Israel; the Moabites and presumably other ancient Near Eastern nations also put cities and groups of people under the ban. [Note: See Gordon, pp. 143, 147-48.] God had plainly commanded this destruction of the Amalekites through Moses (Exodus 17:16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; cf. Numbers 24:20; Genesis 12:3). Thus there was no question what the will of God involved. The phrase "utterly destroy" (Heb. heherim) occurs seven times in this account (1 Samuel 14:3; 1 Samuel 14:8-9 [twice], 15, 18, 20), showing that God’s will was clear and that Saul’s disobedience was not an oversight.