1 Samuel 15:24

“And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, etc.] This confession of his sin does not appear to be ingenuous, cordial, and sincere, and was made chiefly for the sake of getting the sentence of rejecting him from being king reversed: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words; which last seems to be added to collogue with Samuel, and to ingratiate himself with him; and Abarbinel thinks that Saul suspected that Samuel had aggravated the matter of himself, and that he did not really transgress the words of the Lord, but as the words of Samuel; and therefore according to the words of Samuel he had sinned, but not according to the words of the Lord only; because I feared the…”

“I have sinned . . . turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord--The erring, but proud and obstinate monarch was now humbled. He was conscience-smitten for the moment, but his confession proceeded not from sincere repentance, but from a sense of danger and desire of averting the sentence denounced against him. For the sake of public appearance, he besought Samuel not to allow their serious differences to transpire, but to join with him in a public act of worship. Under the influence of his painfully agitated feelings, he designed to offer sacrifice, partly to express his gratitude for the recent victory, and partly to implore mercy and a reversal of his doom. It was, from another angle,…”

“I have sinned - Compare 1 Samuel 15:25, 1 Samuel 15:30. How was it that these repeated confessions were unavailing to obtain forgiveness, when David’s was? (See the marginal reference.) Because Saul only shrank from the punishment of his sin. David shrank in abhorrence from the sin itself Psalms 51:4. return to 'Top of Page'”

“I have sinned - It does by no means appear, that Saul acts the hypocrite herein, in assigning a false cause of his disobedience. Rather, he nakedly declares the thing as it was. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 15:25”

“15:24-30 Saul finally confessed his sin. But it was too little, too late—and still accompanied by excuses. 15:24 I was afraid of the people: Saul continued to blame others (see 15:15, 21). • what they demanded: There is no hint of such pressure in the chapter. Saul’s confession appears dishonest (cp. David, 2 Sam 12:13; Ps 51).”

“I have sinned: Sa1 15:30; Exo 9:27, Exo 10:16; Num 22:34; Sa2 12:13; Mat 27:4 I feared: Sa1 15:9, Sa1 15:15; Exo 23:2; Job 31:34; Pro 29:25; Isa 51:12, Isa 51:13; Luk 23:20-25; Gal 1:10; Rev 21:8 obeyed: Sa1 2:29; Gen 3:12, Gen 3:17; Jer 38:5 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 15:25”

“This sentence made so powerful an impression upon Saul, that he confessed, "I have sinned: for I have transgressed the command of the Lord and thy words, because I feared the people, and hearkened to their voice." But these last words, with which he endeavoured to make his sin appear as small as possible, show that the consciousness of his guilt did not go very deep. Even if the people had really desired that the best of the cattle should be spared, he ought not as king to have given his consent to their wish, since God had commanded that they should all be banned (i.e., destroyed); and even though he has yielded from weakness, this weakness could not lessen his guilt before God. This…”