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 he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. 25Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship the Lord.” 26Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back 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 again replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the Lord your God.”
• Exodus 9:27So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty.
• Exodus 10:16Then Pharaoh quickly summoned 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 stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.”
• 2 Samuel 12:13Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die.
• Matthew 27:4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!”
• 1 Samuel 15:9However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless.
• Exodus 23:2“You must not follow a crowd in doing evil things; in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice,
• Job 31:34because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors –
• Proverbs 29:25The fear of people becomes a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high.
• Isaiah 51:12“I, I am the one who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?
• Luke 23:20Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted to release Jesus.
• Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!
• Revelation 21:8But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”
• 1 Samuel 2:29Why are you scorning my sacrifice and my offering that I commanded for my dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than you have me by having made yourselves fat from the best parts of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
• Genesis 3:12The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some 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