English Standard Version
1 Samuel 15:24
24Saul 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.
Context of 1 Samuel 15:24
22And Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." 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. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord." 26And 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."
Read all of 1 Samuel 151 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 15:30Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God."
- Exodus 9:27Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, "This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.
- Exodus 10:16Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.
- Numbers 22:34Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, 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 put away your sin; you shall not die.
- Matthew 27:4saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."
- 1 Samuel 15:9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
- Exodus 23:2You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
- Job 31:34because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
- Proverbs 29:25The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
- Isaiah 51:12"I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass,
- Luke 23:20Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus,
- Galatians 1:10For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Revelation 21:8But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
- 1 Samuel 2:29Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?'
- Genesis 3:12The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries