1 Samuel 15:24

1 Samuel 15:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Context of 1 Samuel 15:24

22Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed [is better] than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), And disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king.” Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now, please, pardon my sin and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” 26But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

1 Samuel 15:24 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֤וּל אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ חָטָ֔אתִי כִּֽי־עָבַ֥רְתִּי אֶת־פִּֽי־יְהוָ֖ה וְאֶת־דְּבָרֶ֑יךָ כִּ֤י יָרֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע בְּקוֹלָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• I have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• for I have transgressedעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674
• the commandmentפֶּהpeh · lip: wordH6310
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and thy wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• because I fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and obeyedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
• their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 15:24

• 1 Samuel 15:30Saul said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.”
• Exodus 9:27Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
• Exodus 10:16Then Pharaoh hurried to call for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
• Numbers 22:34Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that You were standing in the way against me. But now, if my going displeases You, I will turn back.”
• 2 Samuel 12:13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass [without further punishment]; you shall not die.
• Matthew 27:4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!”
• 1 Samuel 15:9Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and everything that was good, and they were not willing to destroy them entirely; but everything that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed completely.
• Exodus 23:2You shall not follow a crowd to do [something] evil, nor shall you testify at a trial or in a dispute so as to side with a crowd in order to pervert justice;
• Job 31:34Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?
• Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.
• Isaiah 51:12“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of a son of man who is made [as destructible] as grass,
• Luke 23:20Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus,
• Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
• Revelation 21:8But as for the cowards and unbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity and practice or tolerate immorality], and murderers, and sorcerers [with intoxicating drugs], and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach false religions], and all the liars [who knowingly deceive and twist truth], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• 1 Samuel 2:29Why then do you kick at (despise) My sacrifice and My offering which I commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, by fattening yourselves with the choicest part of every offering of My people Israel?’
• Genesis 3:12And the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it.”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24I have sinned - because I feared the people - This was the best excuse he could make for himself; but had he feared God more, he need have feared the People less.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24I have sinned - Compare 1 Samuel 15:25, 1 Samuel 15:30. How was it that these repeated confessions were unavailing to obtain forgiveness, when David‘s was? (See the marginal reference.) Because Saul only shrank from the punishment of his sin. David shrank in abhorrence from the sin itself Psalm 51:4.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-31Verses 24-31 There were several signs of hypocrisy in Saul's repentance. 1. He besought Samuel only, and seemed most anxious to stand right in his opinion, and to gain his favour. 2. He excuses his fault, even when confessing it; that is never the way of a true penitent. 3. All his care was to save his credit, and preserve his interest in the people. Men are fickle and alter their minds, feeble and cannot effect their purposes; something happens they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24I feared the people: Saul kept blaming others (see 1 Samuel 15:15, 21). obeyed their voice: The chapter does not suggest any pressure from them. Saul’s confession seems dishonest (compare with David, 2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-2624-26. I have sinned ... turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord--The erring, but proud and obstinate monarch was now humbled. He was conscience-smitten for the moment, but his confession proceeded not from sincere repentance, but from a sense of danger and desire of averting the sentence denounced against him. For the sake of public appearance, he besought Samuel not to allow their serious differences to transpire, but to join with him in a…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 15:24

• Amalekites
• Church and State
• Conviction
• Falsehood
• Intercession
• King
• Minister, Christian
• Repentance
• Reproof
• Rulers
• Saul
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Samuel
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Agag
• Better
• Chief
• Pardon
• Reject
• Skirt
• Arabia

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings