1 Samuel 15:29

Contextual Overview

²⁴ And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. ²⁴ Then Saul admitted to Samuel, "Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord 's command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. 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. 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. ²⁴ And Saul said to 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 Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 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 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 And Saul seide to Samuel, Y synnede, for Y brak the word of the Lord, and thi wordis; `and Y dredde the puple, `and obeiede to `the vois of hem; but now,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Strength: or, Eternity, or, Victory, Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalms 29:11, Psalms 68:35, Isaiah 45:24, Joel 3:16, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Philippians 4:13

will not lie: Numbers 14:28, Numbers 14:29, Numbers 23:19, Psalms 95:11, Ezekiel 24:14, 2 Timothy 2:13, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:6 - repented Genesis 32:12 - thou Exodus 6:8 - I am 1 Kings 12:15 - that he might 2 Kings 10:10 - fall unto the earth 1 Chronicles 29:11 - the victory Psalms 89:33 - not utterly take Psalms 132:11 - sworn Isaiah 1:20 - for the mouth Jeremiah 4:28 - because Ezekiel 22:14 - I the Hosea 13:14 - repentance Malachi 3:6 - I change not Romans 3:3 - shall James 1:17 - no variableness

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent,.... Neither of the evil which he had threatened to Saul in taking away the kingdom from him; nor of the good which he had promised to David in giving it to him; nor of his purpose and promise to Israel to protect and defend them, save and deliver them from the Philistines, and continue them a nation and kingdom: and for the confirmation of all this, this title or character of the Lord is given, "the Strength of Israel"; hence he cannot lie, which is the effect of weakness; nor repent or change his mind, as men do, when something unforeseen arises, which hinders the execution of their first design, and which through weakness they cannot surmount: and hence God would support Israel as a nation, and strengthen them against their enemies, and work deliverance and salvation for them: or "the victory of Israel" q; the author of Israel's victories, and to whom they are to be ascribed, and who is able to give them more, and would; and as he did especially by David, to whom the kingdom is promised: or "the eternity of Israel" r; that gives firmness, permanency, and duration to them; all which is true of Israel in a spiritual sense; he gives them spiritual strength, victory over their enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, permanent duration, everlasting salvation, immortality, and eternal life:

for he is not a man, that he should repent; men are weak and feeble, and cannot perform what they purpose or promise, and therefore repent; but God, the Strength of Israel, is able to perform whatever he has purposed or promised, and therefore repents not; men are changeable in their minds, and repent of their first thoughts and designs; but God is unchangeable, and never alters his counsels, breaks his covenant, reverses his blessings, repents of his gifts, nor changes his affections to his Israel. Abarbinel says this may be understood of Saul, and so be given as a reason why God would not repent of the evil he had threatened him with, because he was a man that repented not of his sin; but the first sense is best, and agrees with and is confirmed by Numbers 23:19.

q נצח ישראל "victoria Israel", Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator; "victor Israelis", Tigurine version. r "Aeternitas Israelis", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The strength of Israel - A phrase which occurs only here. The word means, perpetuity, truth, glory, victory, and trust, or confidence.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 15:29. The Strength of Israel will not lie — What God has purposed he will bring to pass, for he has all power in the heavens and in the earth; and he will not repent - change his purpose - concerning thee.

We may say it was some extenuation of Saul's fault that the people insisted on preserving the best of the prey; for who could resist the demands of a victorious mob? But his crime was in consenting; had he not, the crime would have been theirs alone.