3. (1 Sam 15:24-25) Saul's weak effort towards repentance
Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD."
I have sinned: Saul's confession of sin does not appear to be sincere. Instead, it appears it was made chiefly for the sake of getting the sentence of him being rejected as king reversed.
I feared the people and listened to their voice: Saul refuses to own up to his will and instead blames the people who "made him" do it. Again, this seems like the same song and dance Saul attempted when Samuel confronted Saul about sacrificing the burnt offering to the LORD back in chapter 13. If Saul would have feared God more, he would have feared the people less.
Please pardon my sin and return with me: Instead of dealing with the deep issue of Saul's heart of rebellion and stubbornness against God, Saul thought that having Samuel's support could fix everything. But the friendship of Samuel could not change the settled nature of Saul's heart. God knew that Saul's heart was full of rebellion and stubbornness. Saul's heart was set in his ways against God. This is something no man could know from looking at Saul. But God knew Saul's heart and told Samuel about it. A simple "please pardon my sin" would not do when the heart is set in rebellion and sin against the LORD.
4. (1 Sam 15:26-31) God's rejection of Saul as king over Israel is final
But Samuel said to the Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel." As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." Then he said, "I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God." So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
I will not return with you: Samuel clearly sees that Saul's repentance is fake. Saul's repentance is spurred by the fear of losing the kingdom and incurring public disgrace. Saul had dishonored God, and therefore, he had no claim to public homage from God's minister.
Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore: Many translations are careless about translating the Hebrew word "meil". "Meil" is not a loose flowing garment such as a robe. Instead, it was a fitted garment worn closely to the skin. Therefore, tearing the garment implies Saul used a considerable amount of violent force. Saul's desperate action provides a vivid lesson on how the kingdom was to be torn away from him. As useless as the torn piece of garment was in Saul's hand, so now his leadership of the nation was futile.
And has given it to your neighbor: Neighbor here in the Hebrew is used in a very indefinite way. It generally means "someone". The kingdom would be rent from Saul and given to "someone" who is better than Saul at discharging the duties of being king.
The Glory of Israel: Samuel uses a title for God that appears only here in the Bible. The title combines the ideas of stability, permanence and constancy. The Strength or Confidence of Israel does not change as men do. This reminds Saul that the LORD is determined in His purpose and is strong in His will. God will not change. The title "The Glory of Israel" is also important because at that time Saul probably thought of himself as "The Glory of Israel". God was Israel's strength, and Saul needed to hear it.
Please honor me now before the elders: This is a strange request after Saul's great sin. Saul was probably sincere and fearful, but his sincerity was based upon a desire to maintain his power and royal state. His fear probably sprang from an apprehension that if he lost the friendship of Samuel the prophet (the revered and honored servant of the LORD), he would probably be forced to forfeit his crown. If Saul would have been really repentant, he would have prayed to have been humble rather than to be honored.
Samuel went back following Saul: Samuel, after having been requested several times by the king, consents to publicly worshiping the LORD with Saul. The main reason Samuel most likely acquiesced Saul's request was to prevent any disaffection toward the monarchy. Samuel's known disapproval of Saul's conduct and his declining the king's request would probably have been the signal for Israel to rise up in a revolt. Supporting Saul as king was better than the anarchy that would arise without a king.
5. (1 Sam 15:32-33) Samuel carries out God's will
Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, the king of the Amelekites." And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag": A big issue was still not resolved for Samuel. There was still the matter of Saul's incomplete obedience. God's command to "utterly destroy" all the Amalekites still stood, even if Saul had not obeyed the command.
Cheerfully: The meaning of the word is very doubtful. The Septuagint has the word "trembling" here. (This rending would make more sense as in the next sentence Agag says, "Surely this bitterness of death is past.") Perhaps Agag was not in a fearful mood, and doubted any harm which could be inflicted by the aged prophet. But perhaps also, Agag might have been filled with fear and trembled to come before the mighty man of God.
As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women: Samuel makes it clear that Agag was not an innocent bystander when it came to the atrocities that the Amelekites inflicted on Israel. Agag was a wicked and violent leader of a wicked and violent people. God's judgment against him and the Amalekites was just.
Samuel hewed Agag to pieces: This verb occurs only here and probably refers to some particular type of execution. The way the word is conjugated would imply that Samuel probably did not kill Agag but that he commanded it to be done.
Before the LORD: Most notably, Samuel performs this act of obedience before the LORD. He does do this before Saul, to show Saul would weak and proud he was. This was not done before Israel, to show them how strong and tough Samuel was. Instead, Samuel acted in tough obedience before the LORD to fulfill God's command.
6. (1 Sam 15:34-35) The tragic split between Samuel and Saul
Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
Samuel went to Ramah: This was Samuel's native place and where he usually resided.
Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul: This was Saul's birthplace, and the location of his father's house. This was also where Saul had his royal residence and where he kept court.
Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death: The joyous friendship which had previously existed between the two comrades was now broken off. Although they would meet again in 1 Samuel 19:24, it was neither in a friendly manner nor was it due to Samuel's seeking. The words here have a higher meaning than the mere seeing or meeting one another. They involve the cessation of a relationship in which Samuel and Saul had stood to one another as prophet and king of God. Now, Saul was no longer the representative of the LORD, and consequently, Samuel came no more to him, giving Saul messages, commands and guidance from God.
Samuel grieved over Saul: The old prophet had known Saul from the days of his youthful promise. Samuel, no doubt, loved him much and regarded him as his own adopted son. Now, he saw all his high qualities perverted; Saul's powers of usefulness were destroyed by pride and disobedience.
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