1 Samuel 15:24

Contextual Overview

²⁴Saul 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. ²⁴ Sha'ul said to Shemu'el, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the mitzvah of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. ²⁴ And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord , and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. ²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh and your words, for I feared the troops and I listened to their voice. ²⁴ Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. ²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I didn't obey the Lord 's commands and your words. I was afraid of the people, and I did what they said. ²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. ²⁴Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have violated the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.²⁴ Then Saul sayde vnto Samuel, I haue sinned: for I haue transgressed the commaundement of the Lord, and thy wordes, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have sinned: 1 Samuel 15:30, Exodus 9:27, Exodus 10:16, Numbers 22:34, 2 Samuel 12:13, Matthew 27:4

I feared: 1 Samuel 15:9, 1 Samuel 15:15, Exodus 23:2, Job 31:34, Proverbs 29:25, Isaiah 51:12, Isaiah 51:13, Luke 23:20-25, Galatians 1:10, Revelation 21:8

obeyed: 1 Samuel 2:29, Genesis 3:12, Genesis 3:17, Jeremiah 38:5

Reciprocal: Exodus 32:22 - that they are Numbers 12:11 - I beseech thee Numbers 20:11 - smote Numbers 21:7 - We have Joshua 7:20 - Indeed 1 Samuel 26:21 - I have sinned Proverbs 28:13 - that Jeremiah 38:19 - I Acts 5:29 - We Titus 1:16 - and disobedient 1 John 3:4 - transgresseth

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned,.... This confession of his sin does not appear to be ingenuous, cordial, and sincere, and was made chiefly for the sake of getting the sentence of rejecting him from being king reversed:

for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words; which last seems to be added to collogue with Samuel, and to ingratiate himself with him; and Abarbinel thinks that Saul suspected that Samuel had aggravated the matter of himself, and that he did not really transgress the words of the Lord, but as the words of Samuel; and therefore according to the words of Samuel he had sinned, but not according to the words of the Lord only;

because I feared the people; Doeg the Edomite, who was reckoned as all of them, Jarchi says: this was a mere excuse of Saul's, he stood in no fear of the people, he kept them in awe, and did as he would with them, as a sovereign prince:

and obeyed their voice; in sparing the best of the cattle; so be pretended, when it was his own will, and the effect of his covetousness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I have sinned - Compare 1 Samuel 15:25, 1 Samuel 15:30. How was it that these repeated confessions were unavailing to obtain forgiveness, when David’s was? (See the marginal reference.) Because Saul only shrank from the punishment of his sin. David shrank in abhorrence from the sin itself Psalms 51:4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 15:24. I have sinned - because I feared the people — This was the best excuse he could make for himself; but had he feared GOD more, he need have feared the PEOPLE less.