Obeyed the voice of the LORD: see the comments on verse 19.

Gone on the mission: see verse 18.

I have brought: it may be necessary in some languages to make explicit where Saul brought Agag. Good News Translation and many English translations say “brought back.” It is possible to be more explicit and state “I have brought to Gilgal” (see verses 12, 21 and 33). Since Agag was brought by force to Gilgal, translators may wish to use a verb that expresses this force. Compare Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente (“And I have taken their king Agag prisoner”) and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (“I captured King Agag of Amalek”).

Agag: as in verse 8.

Utterly destroyed: see the comments on verse 3.

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 .