1 Samuel 13:13 "You have acted foolishly," Samuel declared. "You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

Bible > 1 Samuel > Chapter 13 > Verse 13

◄ 1 Samuel 13:13 ►

New International Version
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

New Living Translation
“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

English Standard Version
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

Berean Standard Bible
“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

King James Bible
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

New King James Version
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

New American Standard Bible
But Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for the LORD would now have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

NASB 1995
Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

NASB 1977
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which He commanded you, for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

Amplified Bible
Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for [if you had obeyed] the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

Christian Standard Bible
Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish. You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. It was at this time that the LORD would have permanently established your reign over Israel,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish. You have not kept the command which the LORD your God gave you. It was at this time that the LORD would have permanently established your reign over Israel,

American Standard Version
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

Contemporary English Version
"That was stupid!" Samuel said. "You didn't obey the LORD your God. If you had obeyed him, someone from your family would always have been king of Israel.

English Revised Version
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"You did a foolish thing," Samuel told Saul. "You didn't follow the command of the LORD your God. [If you had,] the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel permanently.

Good News Translation
"That was a foolish thing to do," Samuel answered. "You have not obeyed the command the LORD your God gave you. If you had obeyed, he would have let you and your descendants rule over Israel forever.

International Standard Version
Then Samuel told Saul, "You have acted foolishly. You haven't obeyed the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever,

Majority Standard Bible
“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

NET Bible
Then Samuel said to Saul, "You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the LORD your God gave you. Had you done that, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever!

New Heart English Bible
Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

World English Bible
Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And Samuel says to Saul, “You have been foolish; you have not kept the command of your God YHWH, which He commanded you, for now YHWH had established your kingdom over Israel for all time;

Young's Literal Translation
And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Thou hast been foolish; thou hast not kept the command of Jehovah thy God, which He commanded thee, for now had Jehovah established thy kingdom over Israel unto the age;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Samuel will say to Saul, Thou didst foolishly: thou didst not watch the commands of Jehovah thy God which he commanded thee; for now Jehovah prepared thy kingdom for Israel, even for ever.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And if thou hadst not done thus, the Lord would now have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Samuel said to Saul: “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandments of the Lord your God, which he instructed to you. And if you had not acted in this way, the Lord would, here and now, have prepared your kingdom over Israel forever.

New American Bible
Samuel replied to Saul: “You have acted foolishly! Had you kept the command the LORD your God gave you, the LORD would now establish your kingship in Israel forever;

New Revised Standard Version
Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly; for you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now would the LORD have established your kingdom over Israel, as he had said, I will establish you for ever.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shemueil said to Shaul: “You have done foolishly that you have not kept the commandment of LORD JEHOVAH your God which he commanded you, because now LORD JEHOVAH your God had made ready your Kingdom over Israel, and he said that he would establish you unto eternity!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Samuel said to Saul: 'Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which He commanded thee; for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice
…12I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 13“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Samuel 15:22-23
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. / For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

1 Kings 11:11
Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.

1 Kings 13:26
When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard this, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the command of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, and it has mauled him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to him.”

1 Kings 14:7-10
Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over My people Israel. / I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My eyes. / You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back. ...

2 Kings 17:20
So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”

Psalm 89:30-32
If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments, / if they violate My statutes and fail to keep My commandments, / I will attend to their transgression with the rod, and to their iniquity with stripes.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Isaiah 30:1
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.

Jeremiah 18:9-10
And if at another time I announce that I will build up and establish a nation or kingdom, / and if it does evil in My sight and does not listen to My voice, then I will relent of the good I had intended for it.

Hosea 13:11
So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away.

Matthew 21:43
Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

Luke 12:47-48
That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. / But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

Treasury of Scripture

And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you: for now would the LORD have established your kingdom on Israel for ever.

Thou hast done

2 Samuel 12:7-9
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; …

1 Kings 18:18
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

1 Kings 21:20
And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

hast not kept

1 Samuel 15:11,22,28
It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night…

Psalm 50:8-15
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me…

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Acted Age Authority Command Commanded Commandment Established Israel Kept Kingdom Purpose Rules Samuel Saul Time

1 Samuel 13

1. Saul's select band
3. He calls the Hebrews to Gilgal against the Philistines
5. The Philistines' great army
6. The distress of the Israelites
8. Saul, weary of staying for Samuel, sacrifices
11. Samuel reproves him
17. The three raiding parties of the Philistines
19. The policy of the Philistines, to allow no blacksmith in Israel

Berean Study Bible

You have acted foolishly
The Hebrew word for "foolishly" is "נָבַל" (nabal), which implies a lack of spiritual insight or discernment. In the biblical context, acting foolishly often means disregarding God's wisdom and commands. Samuel's rebuke to Saul highlights the gravity of his disobedience. Saul's actions were not just a tactical error but a spiritual failure, showing a heart not fully aligned with God's will. This serves as a reminder that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10).

Samuel said
Samuel, the last of the judges and a prophet, was God's mouthpiece to Israel. His words carried divine authority. In this context, Samuel's role is crucial as he represents God's direct communication to Saul. The historical setting underscores the transition from theocratic judges to a monarchy, with Samuel as a pivotal figure in guiding Israel through this change. His pronouncement is not merely personal advice but a divine judgment.

You have not kept the command
The Hebrew word for "command" is "מִצְוָה" (mitzvah), which refers to a directive from God. Saul's failure to keep the command signifies a breach of covenantal relationship with God. In the ancient Near Eastern context, kings were expected to uphold divine laws as part of their rule. Saul's disobedience reflects a deeper issue of prioritizing his judgment over God's explicit instructions, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture as a warning against self-reliance.

that the LORD your God gave you
The phrase "the LORD your God" emphasizes the personal relationship between God and His chosen people. The use of "LORD" (YHWH) signifies the covenantal name of God, reminding Saul of the sacred bond and the expectations that come with it. This highlights the personal nature of God's commands and the expectation of obedience from those He appoints. It serves as a reminder that God's commands are not arbitrary but are given for the well-being and order of His people.

if you had
This conditional phrase introduces the concept of potential blessing tied to obedience. It suggests that God's promises are often contingent upon human response. The historical context of Israel's monarchy illustrates how obedience to God was meant to secure divine favor and stability. This serves as a timeless principle that obedience to God's commands opens the door to His blessings and fulfillment of His promises.

the LORD would have established your kingdom
The word "established" in Hebrew is "כּוּן" (kun), meaning to set up or make firm. This implies a divine intention to provide stability and longevity to Saul's reign. The conditional nature of this promise underscores the importance of faithfulness to God's commands. In the broader biblical narrative, this reflects the theme of God's sovereignty and His desire to bless those who walk in His ways.

over Israel for all time
The phrase "for all time" indicates the potential for an enduring dynasty, a promise that was ultimately fulfilled in David and, through him, in Jesus Christ, the eternal King. This highlights the concept of God's eternal plan and the role of human agency within it. Saul's failure serves as a cautionary tale of how disobedience can forfeit divine opportunities. It points to the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises through Christ, who perfectly obeyed the Father and established an everlasting kingdom.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Thou hast done foolishly. Saul had not only received an express command to wait seven days, but it had been given him under special circumstances, and confirmed by the fulfilment of the appointed signs. He knew, moreover, how much depended upon his waiting, and that obedience to the prophet's command was an essential condition of his appointment. Nevertheless, in his impatience and distrust of Jehovah, he cannot bide the set time; not really because of any wish to propitiate God, but because of the effect to be produced upon the mind of the people. It was tedious to remain inactive; his position in the plains was. untenable; at any moment his retreat to the mountains might be cut off; and so he prefers the part of a prudent general to that of an obedient and trustful servant of God. And we may notice that there is no confession of wrong on his part. His mind rather seems entirely occupied with his duty as a king, without having regard to the higher King, whom it ought to have been his first duty to obey.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“You have acted foolishly,”
נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ (nis·kā·lə·tā)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5528: To be foolish or a fool

Samuel
שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל (šə·mū·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8050: Samuel -- 'name of God', a prophet of Israel

declared.
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“You have not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

kept
שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ (šā·mar·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the command
מִצְוַ֞ת (miṣ·waṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4687: Commandment

the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

gave you;
צִוָּ֔ךְ (ṣiw·wāḵ)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

if you had,
עַתָּ֗ה (‘at·tāh)
Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

the LORD
יְהוָ֧ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

would have established
הֵכִ֨ין (hê·ḵîn)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3559: To be erect

your kingdom
מַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ (mam·laḵ·tə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4467: Kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

over
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

for
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

all time.
עוֹלָֽם׃ (‘ō·w·lām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5769: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always

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OT History: 1 Samuel 13:13 Samuel said to Saul You have done (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)