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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then he said, “I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.”
- BSB “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.”
- NKJV Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
- NASB Then Saul said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.”
- NLT Then Saul pleaded again, “I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the Lord your God.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Saul again confesses sin but pleads to be honored before the elders and Israel. His chief concern remains his public reputation rather than God.
Overview
Saul repeats his confession yet his request to be honored before the people exposes that pride still rules his heart. He wants the appearance of restored standing more than reconciliation with God. The verse is a sobering portrait of a religiosity driven by image rather than by humble surrender.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- John 12:43For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
- John 5:44How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
- Isa 29:13Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
- 2 Tim 3:5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
- Hab 2:4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
- Luke 18:9–14And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 15:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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