1 Samuel 15:35

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Never again did Sh'mu'el see Sha'ul, until the day he died. But Sh'mu'el grieved over Sha'ul, and ADONAI regretted that he had made Sha'ul king over Isra'el.

Berean Standard Bible:

And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

American Standard Version:

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Jehovah repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Samuel^{H8050} came no more^{H3254} to see^{H7200} Saul^{H7586} until the day^{H3117} of his death^{H4194}: nevertheless^{H3588} Samuel^{H8050} mourned^{H56} for Saul^{H7586}: and the LORD^{H3068} repented^{H5162} that he had made Saul^{H7586} king^{H4427} over Israel^{H3478}.

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Commentary for 1 Samuel 15:35

1 Samuel 15:35 is a poignant verse that captures a turning point in the history of Israel, reflecting themes of divine regret, human failure, and prophetic mourning. This verse comes after Saul, the first king of Israel, has been rejected by God for his disobedience in the battle against the Amalekites, where he failed to utterly destroy everything as commanded by the Lord through the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 15:1-23).

In the verse, we see the prophet Samuel, who had anointed Saul as king, withdrawing from Saul's presence as a sign of the broken relationship between the prophet, the king, and God. Samuel's absence from Saul's life until the day of his death underscores the finality of Saul's rejection by God and the end of his divine support. Despite this, Samuel's mourning for Saul reveals a deep, personal sorrow for the king's downfall, illustrating the complex emotions involved in prophetic ministry—a mix of judgment and compassion.

The latter part of the verse, stating that "the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel," uses strong anthropomorphic language to convey God's sorrow and disappointment over Saul's reign. This does not imply that God was unaware of Saul's future disobedience but rather emphasizes the gravity of Saul's actions and the resulting consequences. It reflects a biblical motif where God's plans are impacted by human agency and the exercise of human free will.

Historically, this verse sets the stage for the transition of kingship from Saul to David, who would later be anointed by Samuel as Saul's successor. The rejection of Saul and the mourning of Samuel over the king's failure and divine disfavor highlight the importance of obedience and the sobering reality that even those chosen by God can fall out of favor through their actions. This moment is a pivotal narrative in the Deuteronomistic history, which emphasizes the conditional nature of the covenant between God and Israel's leaders, and the enduring impact of their choices on the nation's destiny.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H8050
   There are 120 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׁמוּאֵל
   Transliteration: Shᵉmûwʼêl
   Pronunciation: sehm-oo-ale'
   Description: from the passive participle of שָׁמַע and אֵל; heard of God; Shemuel, the name of three Israelites; Samuel, Shemuel.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3254
   There are 207 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָסַף
   Transliteration: yâçaph
   Pronunciation: yaw-saf'
   Description: a primitive root; to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing); add, [idiom] again, [idiom] any more, [idiom] cease, [idiom] come more, [phrase] conceive again, continue, exceed, [idiom] further, [idiom] gather together, get more, give more-over, [idiom] henceforth, increase (more and more), join, [idiom] longer (bring, do, make, much, put), [idiom] (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed (further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, [idiom] yet, yield.
   
3. Strong's Number: H7200
   There are 1212 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָאָה
   Transliteration: râʼâh
   Pronunciation: raw-aw'
   Description: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative); advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7586
   There are 335 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁאוּל
   Transliteration: Shâʼûwl
   Pronunciation: shaw-ool'
   Description: passive participle of שָׁאַל; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites; Saul, Shaul.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3117
   There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יוֹם
   Transliteration: yôwm
   Pronunciation: yome
   Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.
   
6. Strong's Number: H4194
   There are 155 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָוֶת
   Transliteration: mâveth
   Pronunciation: maw'-veth
   Description: from מוּת; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin; (be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d).
   
7. Strong's Number: H3588
   There are 43 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כִּי
   Transliteration: kîy
   Pronunciation: kee
   Description: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed; and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
   
8. Strong's Number: H56
   There are 2796 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָבַל
   Transliteration: ʼâbal
   Pronunciation: aw-bal'
   Description: a primitive root; to bewail; lament, mourn.
   
9. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
10. Strong's Number: H5162
    There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָחַם
    Transliteration: nâcham
    Pronunciation: naw-kham'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself); comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).
    
11. Strong's Number: H4427
    There are 284 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מָלַךְ
    Transliteration: mâlak
    Pronunciation: maw-lak'
    Description: a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel; consult, [idiom] indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, [idiom] surely.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3478
    There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
    Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
    Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
    Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.