1 Samuel 15:26

26 Samuel replied to Saul, "I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel."

1 Samuel 15:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:26

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee
Not being satisfied with his repentance and confession, he still extenuating his sin, and laying the blame of it on the people. This he said by way of resentment, and as expressing his indignation at him, though he afterwards did return with him on a change of his mind; which a good man may be allowed to make, without any imputation of falsehood or a lie unto him:

for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected
thee from being king over Israel;
which is repeated from ( 1 Samuel 15:23 ) for the confirmation of it, and to let Saul know that his pretended confession and repentance had made no alteration in the decree and sentence of God respecting the kingdom.

1 Samuel 15:26 In-Context

24 Saul answered Samuel, "I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord's command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.

25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the Lord."

26 Samuel replied to Saul, "I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel."

27 When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.

28 Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.