שמואל א, פרק ט״ו, פסוק ט״ו

Confronted with his failure to fully carry out the divine command, King Saul offers a carefully calculated defense to justify his actions. The primary approach among commentators is that his response relies on two main arguments: shifting the responsibility to the Israelites and claiming a pure, religious motive [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. Saul distances himself from the decision to keep the spoils, insisting that the initiative came entirely from the people. He explains that he could not stop them because they genuinely believed their actions would be considered a Commandment [מצודת דוד].

Saul emphasizes that sparing the best of the sheep and cattle was not driven by greed or a desire for personal wealth. Instead, it was done purely for the sake of heaven—to offer sacrifices to God, who had stood by them in battle [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל]. The people simply preferred to use the animals for offerings rather than killing them without purpose [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם]. As proof that they had no intention of taking spoils for themselves, Saul points out that they completely destroyed all the remaining animals that were unfit for sacrifice. To him, this proves their intentions were strictly religious [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, Saul deliberately associates God directly with Samuel in his speech. This is a calculated sign of respect, intended to highlight the prophet's elevated spiritual status and his intimate relationship with God [רד״ק, אברבנאל].

However, this very line of defense exposes a deep personal failure. By expressing that they took pity on the animals, Saul reveals a secret, underlying belief that the command to destroy everything was actually unjust. This apology also explains exactly why his response is ultimately rejected. The basic conditions for true repentance require a person to acknowledge their sin, feel genuine remorse, and confess. Saul, on the other hand, completely fails to recognize his wrongdoing, actively denies any personal responsibility, and hides behind empty excuses [מלבי״ם].