What does it mean for Agag to be put to death (ESV: hacked to pieces) before the LORD?
1 Samuel 15:33 (ESV)
33And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
Putting Agag to death, Samuel moved the gathering at Gilgal from a sphere of sacrifice to the sphere of herem or ban warfare.1 He executes judgment based on the principle of lex talionis (cf. Exodus 21:22–25).2 He completed the task that was meant to be done by Saul.3
33 And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.