Bible Strands

1 Samuel 15:30

“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Saul addresses the prophet Samuel immediately after God declares He will not reverse His rejection of Saul’s kingship. He speaks these words at the moment Samuel turns to leave following the divine pronouncement.

The words — חָטָ֔אתִי (cha.Ta.ti) translates literally as “I have sinned,” and כַּבְּדֵ֥/נִי (ka.be.De./ni) means “honor me.” These terms anchor Saul’s response to his failed obedience.

The thread — This tension between human praise and divine approval appears in John 5:44 and John 12:43, where seeking glory from people replaces seeking God’s glory. Isaiah 29:13 similarly notes that lip-service without heart alignment fails before God.

Why it lands — The text requires a reader to examine whether their requests for recognition stem from genuine repentance or self-preservation. It demands a clear distinction between worshiping God and manipulating social standing.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he saidחָטָ֔אתִיcha.Ta.tiI have sinnedעַתָּ֗ה'a.Tahnowכַּבְּדֵ֥נִיka.be.De./nihonor/ meנָ֛אna'pleaseנֶ֥גֶדNe.gedbeforeזִקְנֵֽי־zik.nei-[the] elders ofעַמִּ֖י'a.M/ipeople/ myוְנֶ֣גֶדve./Ne.gedand/ beforeיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelוְשׁ֣וּבve./Shuvand/ returnעִמִּ֔י'i.M/iwith/ meוְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֖יתִיve./hish.ta.cha.Vei.tiand/ I will bow downלַֽיהוָ֥הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahwehאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your

King James Version

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.

Cross-references