What was Sha'ul's response to Shmuel's rebuke?
Radak: Sha'ul interrupted Shmuel. You said that I did not heed Hashem's word - I did!
Malbim: Do not say that I did not do a Mitzvah at all. I fulfilled the primary part of the Mitzvah, to destroy Amalek!
Why did he mention bringing Agag?
Radak: I did not let him go - I brought him, and he will die!
Malbim: This is a sign of the victory - I seized him alive, to kill him in Eretz Yisrael. 1
I do not know that the source that it is better to kill him in Eretz Yisrael, nor that the war was in Chutz la'Aretz (the Meraglim said that Amalek is in Eretz Yisrael; we do not find that they went elsewhere). In any case, Agag was now in Gilgal with Sha'ul. Why did he not kill him yet? (PF)
Shmuel rebuked Sha'ul for leaving the animals alive (verse 14), and rejected his defense (you did not heed His word? you veered for spoils). How can Sha'ul persist "I heeded Hashem's word"?
Mishnas R. Aharon 1 p.187: We fulfill Torah and Nevi'im's commands according to Chachamim's understanding - Lo ba'Shamayim Hi! Chachmei Yisrael understood that killing the people and offering animals for Korbanos fulfills v'Hacharamtem. However, the Chachamim must have absolute Taharah, totally free of Kochos ha'Nefesh and desires. Sha'ul did not find any bias, until the Navi revealed it. The people veered after spoils - they were reluctant to destroy such great wealth. This caused them to misinterpret v'Hacharamtem. Sha'ul feared the nation and did not want to argue with them. After a second rebuke, Sha'ul found this in his heart, and realized that his ruling (Perush of v'Hacharamtem) was invalid; he said 'I sinned (b'Shogeg).'
Hadras Kodesh (28:8): There was no Isur to leave the animals alive, only not to take spoils from Amalek. Hashem considered it to be a sin only due to improper intents. (a) Sha?ul thought that if Kaparah (Eglah Arufah) is needed for one murdered person, all the more so for all of Amalek, especially minors and animals who did not sin. A Bas Kol said ""Al Tehi Tzadik Harbeh" (Koheles 7:16)! (b) He kept them alive due to compassion, unlike Hashem's command to destroy them amidst His anger.
