You did not obey … the LORD: the reference is to 15.3-9, where Saul was told to destroy the Amalekites completely, but Agag and the best animals were spared. Obey the voice of the LORD is a common idiom in Hebrew. But in other languages this may be translated “do what the LORD says” or something similar. See the comments on 15.19.

Amalek: that is, “the Amalekites” (see the comments on 15.2).

The Revised Standard Version rendering of the verb form in the expression has done this thing seems to suggest that the reference is to a past event, but the context indicates that Saul is actually in the middle of this thing, that is, actually participating in the event. The perfect tense of the Hebrew may therefore be seen as a kind of prophetic perfect, that is, speaking prophetically about a future event as if it had occurred in the past, indicating the certainty of the eventual outcome. But in some languages it will be better to translate as in Bible en français courant, “that is why the Lord is treating you in this way today.”

In some languages it may be more natural to restructure this verse by placing the reason after the statement of the result: “The LORD is doing this to you today because you disobeyed his order and did not completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .