1 Samuel 15:25

25 but now, I beseech thee, bear thou my sin, and turn thou again with me, (so) that I (can) worship the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:25 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:25

Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin
It can hardly be thought that Saul was so ignorant as to imagine that Samuel could pardon his sin, as committed against God, which none but God can do, but that he would forgive it, so far as he had offended him; or rather his meaning is, that as he was a prophet of the Lord, and had great interest in him, that he would make use of it on his behalf, and pray to God that his sin might be forgiven him, and the sentence reversed concerning his rejection from the kingdom; which perhaps is the chief thing he means by the pardon of his sin, which sometimes means no more than averting a threatened judgment, or freedom from punishment:

and turn again with me;
to Gilgal, for he was come out from thence to meet Samuel, having heard that he was coming:

that I may worship the Lord:
by offering sacrifice, either in thankfulness for the victory obtained, or to atone for his sin, and seek pardon for it, or both; this he thought would be a motive and inducement to Samuel to go along with him.

1 Samuel 15:25 In-Context

23 for it is as the sin of maumetry to fight against God's behest, and it is as the wickedness of idolatry to not assent to God's behest. Therefore for that, that thou castedest away the word of the Lord, the Lord casted thee away, that thou be not king. (for it is like the sin of idolatry to fight against God's command, and it is like the wickedness of idolatry to not assent to God's command. And so because thou hast thrown away the word of the Lord, the Lord hath thrown thee away, so that thou not be king.)

24 And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have broken the word of the Lord, and thy words; and I dreaded the people, and obeyed to the voice of them; (And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and thy words; for I feared the people, and obeyed their voice;)

25 but now, I beseech thee, bear thou my sin, and turn thou again with me, (so) that I (can) worship the Lord.

26 And Samuel said to Saul, I shall not turn again with thee, for thou castedest away the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath cast away thee, that thou be not king upon Israel. (And Samuel said to Saul, I shall not return with thee, for thou hast thrown away the word of the Lord, and so the Lord hath thrown thee away, so that thou not be king upon Israel.)

27 And Samuel turned to go away; soothly Saul took the end of the mantle of Samuel, which also was rent (and Saul took hold of the end of Samuel's mantle, and it tore).