1 Samuel 15:30

30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, Please, before the Zakenim of my people, and before Yisra'el, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.

1 Samuel 15:30 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:30

Then he said, I have sinned
So he had said before, ( 1 Samuel 15:24 ) but his confession there was attended with an extenuation of his sin, pleading in excuse of it that it was through fear of the people, but here it is without any; and yet by what follows it appears to be not ingenuous and sincere, but hypocritical:

yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and
before Israel;
with his company; since should he be slighted openly by the Lord, and by his prophet, he would fall into contempt both with the principal men, and with the common people; wherefore he seemed more concerned for the loss of honour and reputation with the people, than for his sin against God, which is always the case of hypocrites:

and turn again with me, and worship the Lord thy God;
(See Gill on 1 Samuel 15:25).

1 Samuel 15:30 In-Context

28 Shemu'el said to him, the LORD has torn the kingdom of Yisra'el from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

29 Also the Strength of Yisra'el will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.

30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, Please, before the Zakenim of my people, and before Yisra'el, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.

31 So Shemu'el turned again after Sha'ul; and Sha'ul worshiped the LORD.

32 Then said Shemu'el, Bring you here to me Agag the king of the `Amaleki. Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.