1 Sam 15:20-23 20 Saul defended himself. "What are you talking about? I did obey GOD. I did the job GOD set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. 21 So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to GOD at Gilgal — what's wrong with that?" 22 Then Samuel said, Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices — empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. 23 Not doing what GOD tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around GOD is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.