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

22Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king. Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. 25Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the Lord.” 26Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, 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. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the Lord your God.”
• Exodus 9:27Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “I have sinned this time,” he said to them. “The Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the guilty ones.
• Exodus 10:16Pharaoh urgently sent for Moses and Aaron and 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 path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back.”
• 2 Samuel 12:13David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Then Nathan replied to David, “And the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.
• Matthew 27:4“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!”
• 1 Samuel 15:9Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.
• Exodus 23:2“You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.
• Job 31:34because I greatly feared the crowds and because the contempt of the clans terrified me, so I grew silent and would not go outside?
• Proverbs 29:25The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.
• Isaiah 51:12I — I am the one who comforts you. Who are you that you should fear humans who die, or a son of man who is given up like grass?
• Luke 23:20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,
• Galatians 1:10For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
• Revelation 21:8But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
• 1 Samuel 2:29Why, then, do all of you despise my sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship? You have honored your sons more than me, by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of my people Israel.’
• Genesis 3:12The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

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