Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

"Saul attacked the Amalekites. ... He also took Agag the
king. ... But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the
sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and
were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and
worthless, that they utterly destroyed."
This victory rekindled the pride that was Saul's greatest danger.
Eager to heighten the honor of his triumphal return, Saul dared to
imitate the customs of the nations around him, and spared Agag.
The people reserved for themselves the finest of the flocks, herds,
and beasts of burden, excusing their sin on the ground that the cattle
were to be offered as sacrifice to the Lord. They intended, however,
to sacrifice these in place of their own cattle.
Saul's arrogance in ignoring the will of God proved that he
could not be trusted with royal power as the Lord's special
representative. While Saul and his army were marching home
enjoying the thrill of victory, there was anguish in the home of
Samuel. He had received a message from the Lord: "I greatly regret
that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from
following Me, and has not performed My commandments." The
prophet wept and prayed all night that the terrible sentence might be
changed.
God's regret is not like human regret. Human regret implies a
change of mind. God's regret implies a change of circumstances and
relationships. People may change their relationship to God by
570