Proverbs 21:3
To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord more than sacrifices NASB
What do you think? When under pressure is it more prudent to act on something and ask for forgiveness later if the action proved wrong? This is the wisdom of the world and is usually based on fear and foolishness.
That was the case of King Saul when he was directed to destroy the Amalekites and Agag, their king, for what the Amalekites did to Israel as they were going to the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 25:18 God said they attacked the weak, the faint-hearted, and those who were lagging behind. When Israel became strong enough and had a king, God sent the prophet Samuel to King Saul, telling him to destroy the Amalekites and all they had. But that is not what King Saul did. Instead, he spared the Amalekite king and some of the best of the animals and the choicest things claiming they were going to be sacrificed to the Lord but he was also afraid of his men. 1 Samuel 15
Samuel said, to obey is better than sacrifice, and Saul’s actions amounted to insubordination and rebellion. Thus God considered these as the sin of divination, iniquity, and idolatry.