Bible Strands
1 Samuel 15:27
As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Samuel turns to depart after declaring God's rejection of Saul, and Saul seizes the hem of Samuel's robe to stop him. The moment occurs immediately after Samuel's verbal repudiation of Saul's kingship.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּקָּרַֽע (va/i.yi.ka.Ra') literally means "and it tore," describing the physical rupture of the garment's hem. This follows Saul's violent grasp (וַ/יַּחֲזֵ֥ק, va/i.ya.cha.Zek) on the robe's skirt (בִּ/כְנַף־, bi/kh.naf-).
The thread — The torn robe parallels the torn cloak in 1 Kings 11:30, where Ahijah's garment is ripped to symbolize God's transfer of royal authority. Both narratives deploy garment rupture as a physical marker of divine judgment and succession.
Why it lands — The text records a literal tearing of fabric before Samuel verbally declares the kingdom's removal. It requires the reader to observe the enacted sign of irreversible rejection before drawing theological conclusions about Saul's deposed status.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 11:30 And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces,