1 Samuel 15:30

30 Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me in front of the elders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me so I can 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 Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today. He has given it to one of your neighbors. He has given it to someone who is better than you.

29 The One who is the Glory of Israel does not lie. He doesn't change his mind. That's because he isn't a mere man. If he were, he might change his mind."

30 Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me in front of the elders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me so I can worship the LORD your God."

31 So Samuel went back with Saul. And Saul worshiped the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites." Agag wasn't afraid when he came to Samuel. He thought, "The time for me to be put to death must have passed by now."