The utter hopelessness of the man of the people's choice now became manifest. The failure to exterminate the Amalekites, root and branch, proved that the will of God had no real place in his heart. It was to his own advantage to retain rich spoil, and so it was retained. In Saul is illustrated the truth of the solemn words in Romans 8:7-87Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7‑8): “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
First Samuel 14:47-52 gives us the epitome of Saul's accomplishments as king over Israel. He was essentially a man of war and was in the main successful in his campaigns. But he did nothing thoroughly. He never reached the root of things. For example, he “vexed” the Philistines amongst other foes, but he never subdued them, else there would not have been “sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul”; and he “smote the Amalekites,” but he did not destroy them. Surrounded thus by enemies vexed but not broken, “when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.” It is impossible to discover the exercise of faith in this; it is simply flesh making use of flesh.