1 Samuel 15:26

26 But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for ¹you have rejected the word of the LORD, and 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 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.

25 "Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD ."

26 But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD , and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."

27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.

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

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Samuel 16:1