Revised Literal Translation
1 Samuel 15:23
23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of Yhwh, he hath also rejected thee from being king.1
1 Samuel 15:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
- New International Version (NIV)For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For 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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For 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.”
Context of 1 Samuel 15:23
21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto Yhwh thy God in Gilgal. 22And Samuel said, hath Yhwh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yhwh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of Yhwh, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 24And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of Yhwh, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yhwh.
Read all of 1 Samuel 151 Samuel 15:23 word by word
כִּ֤י חַטַּאת־קֶ֙סֶם֙ מֶ֔רִי וְאָ֥וֶן וּתְרָפִ֖ים הַפְצַ֑ר יַ֗עַן מָאַ֙סְתָּ֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּמְאָסְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ סRead the interlinear
- For rebellionמְרִיmerîy · rebellionH4805
- the sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- of witchcraftקֶ֫סֶםqesem · divinationH7081
- and stubbornnessפָּצַרpâtsar · to pressH6484
- iniquityאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
- and idolatryתְּרָפִיםterâphîym · teraphimH8655
- Because thou hast rejectedמָאַסmâ'as · to rejectH3988
- the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 15:23
- 1 Samuel 12:14If ye will fear Yhwh, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yhwh, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following Yhwh your God:
- Numbers 14:9Only rebel not ye against Yhwh, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and Yhwh is with us: fear them not.
- Deuteronomy 9:7Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst Yhwh thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against Yhwh.
- Joshua 22:16Thus saith the whole congregation of Yhwh, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Yhwh, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against Yhwh?
- Job 34:37For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
- Psalms 107:11Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
- Jeremiah 28:16Therefore thus saith Yhwh; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against Yhwh.
- Jeremiah 29:32Therefore thus saith Yhwh; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith Yhwh; because he hath taught rebellion against Yhwh.
- Ezekiel 2:5And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
- Exodus 22:18Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
- Leviticus 20:6And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
- Deuteronomy 18:10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
- Isaiah 8:19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
- Isaiah 19:3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
- Revelation 22:15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry - This is no translation of those difficult words, הפצר ותרפים ואון מרי קסם חטאת כי ki chattath kesem meri veaven utheraphim haphtsar . It appears to me that the three nouns which occur first in the text refer each to the three last in order. Thus, חטאת chattath, Transgression, refers to און aven, Iniquity, which is the principle whence transgression springs. קסם…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The meaning is “Rebellion is as bad as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as bad as worshipping false gods (iniquity), and teraphim (idolatry).”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-23Verses 10-23 Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; "He is turned back from following me." Hereby he made God his enemy. Samuel spent a whole night in pleading for Saul. The rejection of sinners is the grief of believers: God delights not in their death, nor should we. Saul boasts to Samuel of his obedience. Thus sinners think, by justifying themselves, to escape being judged of the Lord…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23Rebellion … and arrogance: These sins of the heart are as bad as the sinful practices of idol-worshipping pagans. Scripture condemns witchcraft (see study note on Deuteronomy 18:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2313-23. Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord--Saul was either blinded by a partial and delusive self-love, or he was, in his declaration to Samuel, acting the part of a bold and artful hypocrite. He professed to have fulfilled the divine command, and that the blame of any defects in the execution lay with the people. Samuel saw the real state of the case, and in discharge of the commission he had…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 15:23
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. 1 Samuel 15:23 witchcraft: Heb. divination. ↩
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries