1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD's commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Bible > 1 Samuel > Chapter 15 > Verse 24

◄ 1 Samuel 15:24 ►

New International Version
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then 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.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
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.

NASB 1977
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.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed trespassed against the command of Yahweh and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Amplified Bible
Then 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.

Christian Standard Bible
Saul 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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul 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.

American Standard Version
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Contemporary English Version
"I have sinned," Saul admitted. "I disobeyed both you and the LORD. I was afraid of the army, and I listened to them instead.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Saul told Samuel, "I have sinned by not following the LORD's command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them.

Good News Translation
"Yes, I have sinned," Saul replied. "I disobeyed the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of my men and did what they wanted.

International Standard Version
"I've sinned," Saul replied to Samuel. "I've broken the LORD's command and your word, because I was afraid of the people and listened to them.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

NET Bible
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.

New Heart English Bible
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And Saul says to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I passed over the command of YHWH, and your words; because I have feared the people, I also listen to their voice;

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Saul will say to Samuel, I sinned: for I passed by the mouth of Jehovah, and thy words: for I feared the people and I will hear to their voice.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said to Samuel: I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words, fearing the people, and obeying their voice.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Saul said to Samuel: “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the word of the Lord, and your words, by fearing the people and obeying their voice.

New American Bible
Saul admitted to Samuel: “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the command of the LORD and your instructions. I feared the people and obeyed them.

New Revised Standard Version
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.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And 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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shaul said to Shemueil: “I have sinned, for I have passed over the word of the mouth of LORD JEHOVAH and over your words, because I was afraid of the people and I listened to their voice!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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 hearkened to their voice.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, in that I have transgressed the word of the Lord and thy direction; for I feared the people, and I hearkened to their voice.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Saul's Confession
24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 9:27
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said. “The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Numbers 22:34
“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”

Joshua 7:20
“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did:

2 Samuel 12:13
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.

1 Kings 21:20
When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.

2 Kings 17:7
All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods

Nehemiah 9:33
You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

Psalm 51:4
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Isaiah 6:5
Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”

Jeremiah 2:19
Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Matthew 27:4
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”

Luke 15:18-19
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. / I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

John 19:4
Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

Acts 3:14
You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Treasury of Scripture

And 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.

I have sinned

1 Samuel 15:30
Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

Exodus 9:27
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Exodus 10:16
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

I feared

1 Samuel 15:9
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

Exodus 23:2
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Job 31:34
Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

obeyed

1 Samuel 2:29
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

Genesis 3:12,17
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat…

Jeremiah 38:5
Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

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1 Samuel 15

1. Samuel sends Saul to destroy Amalek
6. Saul favors the Kenites
7. He spares Agag and the best of the spoil
10. Samuel denounces unto Saul God's rejection of him for his disobedience
24. Saul's humiliation
32. Samuel kills Agag
34. Samuel and Saul part

Berean Study Bible

Then Saul said to Samuel
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, where Saul, the first king of Israel, directly addresses the prophet Samuel. The Hebrew root for "said" is "אָמַר" (amar), which often signifies a declaration or confession. This moment is significant as it reflects a turning point in Saul's kingship, where he must confront his actions before God's prophet. Historically, Samuel served as a bridge between the period of the judges and the monarchy, and his role as a prophet was to convey God's will to the king. Saul's address to Samuel indicates a recognition of Samuel's authority and the gravity of the situation.

I have sinned
The Hebrew word for "sinned" is "חָטָא" (chata), which means to miss the mark or to err. This admission by Saul is crucial as it acknowledges a moral and spiritual failure. In the conservative Christian perspective, sin is a fundamental concept that denotes a breach in the relationship between humanity and God. Saul's confession is an acknowledgment of his failure to uphold God's standards, which is a necessary step towards repentance, although his subsequent actions reveal the complexity of true repentance.

I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment
The term "transgressed" comes from the Hebrew "עָבַר" (avar), meaning to pass over or to violate. This indicates a deliberate crossing of boundaries set by God. The "LORD’s commandment" refers to the specific instructions given by God, which in this context, were delivered through Samuel. Saul's transgression is not just a personal failure but a direct disobedience to divine authority, highlighting the seriousness of his actions in the theocratic context of Israel, where the king was expected to lead by God's guidance.

and your instructions
Here, Saul acknowledges that he has not only disobeyed God but also Samuel, God's appointed prophet. The Hebrew word for "instructions" is "דָּבָר" (dabar), which can mean word, matter, or thing. This dual acknowledgment of disobedience underscores the importance of prophetic authority in Israel. Samuel's role was to communicate God's will, and Saul's failure to heed his instructions reflects a breakdown in the divinely ordained leadership structure.

because I feared the people
The Hebrew root for "feared" is "יָרֵא" (yare), which can mean to be afraid or to revere. Saul's fear of the people indicates a misplaced priority, valuing human opinion over divine command. This fear reveals a weakness in Saul's character as a leader, where he succumbs to the pressure of popular opinion rather than standing firm in obedience to God. In a conservative Christian view, this serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of valuing human approval over God's directives.

and obeyed their voice
The word "obeyed" comes from the Hebrew "שָׁמַע" (shama), meaning to hear or listen. In this context, it implies compliance or submission. Saul's choice to obey the people's voice rather than God's command highlights a critical failure in leadership. The "voice" of the people, representing collective opinion, contrasts with the singular, authoritative voice of God. This serves as a reminder of the importance of discerning and prioritizing God's voice above all others, a key tenet in conservative Christian teaching.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) I have sinned.--The grave condemnation of the prophet appalled the king. The grounds of the Divine rejection evidently sank deep into Saul's heart. Such a thought as that, in the eyes of the Invisible and Eternal, he ranked with the idolators and heathen sinners around, was, even for one sunk so low as Saul, terrible.

Because I feared the people.--He, with stammering lips, while deprecating the Divine sentence, still seeks to justify himself; but all that he could allege in excuse only more plainly marked out his unfitness for his high post. He could, after all, only plead that he loved the praise of men more than the approval of his God; that he preferred--as so many of earth's great ones have since done--the sweets of transient popular applause to the solitary consciousness that he was a faithful servant of the Highest.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 24. - The words of Samuel struck Saul with terror. The same authority which had first given him the kingdom now withdraws it from him, and pronounces his offence as equal in God's sight to crimes which Saul himself held in great abhorrence. He humbles himself, therefore, before Samuel, acknowledges his sin, and frankly confesses that the cause of it had been his unwillingness to act in a manner contrary to the wishes of the people; and we must fairly conclude that the sparing of the spoil had been the people's doing. But was it not the king's duty to make the people obedient to Jehovah's voice? As the theocratic king, he was Jehovah's minister, and in preferring popularity to duty he showed himself unworthy of his position. Nor can we suppose that his confession of sin arose from penitence. It was the result simply of vexation at having his victory crossed by reproaches and disapproval from the only power capable of holding him in check. It seems, too, as if it were Samuel whom he feared more than Jehovah; for he speaks of thy words, and asks Samuel to pardon his sin, and to grant him the favour of his public presence with him at the sacrifice which was about to be celebrated in honour of their triumph.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Then Saul
שָׁא֤וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

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

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

“I have sinned;
חָטָ֔אתִי (ḥā·ṭā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

I have transgressed
עָבַ֥רְתִּי (‘ā·ḇar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

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

commandment
פִּֽי־ (pî-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

and your instructions,
דְּבָרֶ֑יךָ (də·ḇā·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

because
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I feared
יָרֵ֙אתִי֙ (yā·rê·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

the people
הָעָ֔ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

and obeyed
וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע (wā·’eš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

their voice.
בְּקוֹלָֽם׃ (bə·qō·w·lām)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

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OT History: 1 Samuel 15:24 Saul said to Samuel I have sinned (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)