New King James Version
1 Samuel 15:24
24Then 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.
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 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
22So 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 heed than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 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. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, 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.”
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, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
- Exodus 9:27And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.
- Exodus 10:16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
- Numbers 22:34And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
- 2 Samuel 12:13So David 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.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
- 1 Samuel 15:9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
- Exodus 23:2You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.
- Job 31:34Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door—
- Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
- Isaiah 51:12“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?
- Luke 23:20Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.
- Galatians 1:10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
- Revelation 21:8But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
- 1 Samuel 2:29Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’
- Genesis 3:12Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries