Who was Agag, and what did Samuel do to him?

Agag was the king of the Amalekites, an ancient nomadic tribe that had historically harassed the Israelites.12

Following a holy war against the Amalekites, King Saul of Israel captured Agag but spared his life, contrary to the religious requirement of the ban (herem), which demanded total destruction of the enemy. When Samuel, the prophet and judge, confronted Saul regarding this disobedience, he ordered that Agag be brought to him. Samuel then personally executed Agag by hacking him to pieces. This event marked a definitive break in the relationship between Samuel and Saul, as Samuel declared that Saul had been rejected by God for failing to fully carry out the divine command.2