Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 15:5

"And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley." — 1 Samuel 15:5 (ASV)

A city of Amalek. —Better rendered, The city of Amalek: no doubt, their principal place of arms.

And laid wait in the valley. —Better, in a torrent bed, then dry (Arabic, "Wady"). There is a strange tradition in the Talmud that Saul had misgivings when he came to this "torrent bed." Thus, he recalled the command of Deuteronomy 21:4 to slay a heifer at a torrent in expiation of a murder, and determined not to carry out the stern charge of Samuel, but to spare rather than to slay.