For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft
Or divination {e}, in whatsoever way it was exercised; for there
were various sorts of it among the Heathens, and all condemned by
the law of God, ( Deuteronomy
18:10 ) . Now rebellion against God, or disobeying his
commands, though in things otherwise, were they not forbidden by
him, lawful to be done, is as heinous a sin as to be guilty of
witchcraft, or any kind of divination forbidden by the law of
God, and deserves as sore a punishment:
and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry:
for a man, when he has committed a sin, to persist in it
obstinately, or to vindicate himself in it, and insist on his
innocence, which was Saul's case, is as hateful to God as any
iniquity whatever; yea, as bad as idolatry, or making use of the
teraphim, as is the word here; of which see ( Hosea 3:4 ) than which
nothing is more abominable to the Lord:
because thou hast rejected the word of the
Lord;
disregarded his command, treated it with contempt and abhorrence:
he hath rejected thee from being king;
not actually, for he continued to exercise kingly power and
authority to his death, and was treated as a king by his
subjects, and even by David, though anointed by the Lord; but the
sentence of rejection was pronounced upon him, and the bestowal
of the government on his posterity was cut off.