Interpretation of 1 Samuel 15:35 Regarding Samuel and Saul

First Samuel 15:35 describes the aftermath of Saul's disobedience regarding the Amalekites and Samuel's subsequent withdrawal from the king: "Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel" (1 Samuel 15:35). The Young's Literal Translation renders the first clause as, "And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death" ^[2]. This verse marks a significant turning point in the narrative of Saul's reign and the relationship between the prophet Samuel and the first king of Israel.

The immediate literary context of 1 Samuel 15:35 is Saul's failure to completely obey God's command to utterly destroy the Amalekites. God had instructed Saul through Samuel to "attack Amalek and proscribe all that belongs to him; do not pity him, but kill men and women alike, infants and sucklings alike, oxen and sheep alike, camel and donkey alike" (1 Samuel 15:3) ^{[8, 10]}. However, Saul spared Agag, the Amalekite king, and the best of the sheep and oxen, ostensibly to sacrifice them to Yahweh ^[9]. This act of partial obedience led to God's rejection of Saul as king. Samuel confronted Saul, declaring, "Because thou hast despised the word of the Lord, the Lord hath despised thee, that thou mayest not be king over Israel" ^[7]. Despite Saul's confession and plea for pardon, Samuel refused to return with him initially ^[7]. However, after Saul seized Samuel's robe, tearing it, Samuel declared that God had torn the kingdom from Saul ^[6]. Saul then entreated Samuel to honor him before the elders and the people, and Samuel "returned after Saul, and Saul ⌞worshiped⌟ Yahweh" (1 Samuel 15:31) ^[3]. Following this, Samuel himself executed Agag ^[6]. The narrative then states that Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house in Gibeah ^[5]. Verse 35 immediately follows these events, solidifying the rupture between Samuel and Saul.

The historical setting places these events during the early period of the Israelite monarchy, likely in the eleventh century BCE. Samuel, as the last of the judges and a prophet, played a crucial role in the transition from a tribal confederacy to a monarchy, anointing both Saul and later David as king. The book of 1 Samuel itself is part of the Deuteronomistic History, which interprets Israel's history through the lens of covenant faithfulness and disobedience. The account of Saul's rejection serves as a theological explanation for the eventual transfer of the kingship to David.

Several key terms in 1 Samuel 15:35 warrant attention. The phrase "came no more to see Saul" (or "hath not added to see Saul" in YLT) signifies a definitive and lasting separation ^{[1, 2]}. This was not a temporary estrangement but a permanent cessation of their direct interaction. The Hebrew verb for "mourned" (אָבַל, ’ābal) indicates deep sorrow and grief ^[1]. Samuel's mourning for Saul suggests a personal lament over the king's tragic downfall and the consequences of his disobedience. The final clause, "Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel," uses the Hebrew verb נָחַם (nāḥam), often translated as "repented" or "relented" ^{[1, 2]}. This anthropomorphic expression describes God's profound sorrow and regret over the outcome of Saul's kingship, not a change in divine purpose or foreknowledge, but rather an emotional response to human sin and its consequences ^[11]. The Targum Jonathan renders this as "the LORD turned back in his speech that he had made Saul king over Israel," which interprets God's "grief" as a change in divine decree or pronouncement rather than an internal emotional shift ^[4].

One major exegetical decision revolves around the interpretation of God's "grief" or "repentance." Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, clarifies that "Repentance in God is not, as it is in us, a change of his mind, but a change of his way" ^[11]. This perspective emphasizes God's immutability while acknowledging His dynamic interaction with human actions. The divine "grief" here reflects God's sorrow over the necessity of rejecting Saul due to his disobedience, rather than a mistake in His initial choice of Saul. Augustine, in City of God, also highlights Saul's disobedience as the cause for God's rejection, stating, "Again Saul sinned through disobedience, and again Samuel says to him in the word of the Lord, 'Because thou hast despised the word of the Lord, the Lord hath despised thee, that thou mayest not be king over Israel'" ^[7]. This patristic view aligns with the understanding that God's action is a just response to human sin.

The range of interpretations for 1 Samuel 15:35 generally centers on the finality of Saul's rejection and the nature of God's emotional response. Keil and Delitzsch, in their Lutheran commentary, emphasize that Samuel's yielding to Saul's request to worship was not to preserve outward order until a new king, but to carry out the ban on Agag, underscoring the irrevocable nature of God's determination to reject Saul ^[6]. This highlights the severity of Saul's transgression and the divine judgment that followed. The Jewish tradition, as seen in the Babylonian Talmud, also focuses on Saul's disobedience, particularly his "striving with God" concerning the command to utterly destroy Amalek ^{[8, 10]}. This tradition interprets Saul's actions as a direct challenge to God's command, leading to his downfall.

The passage has functioned in tradition as a powerful illustration of the consequences of disobedience to divine command, even for those in positions of authority. It underscores the principle that "to obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Samuel 15:22). The narrative of Saul's rejection and Samuel's subsequent mourning sets the stage for the anointing of David, emphasizing God's sovereign choice and the establishment of a new dynasty. The sorrow expressed by both Samuel and God highlights the tragic nature of Saul's failure, not merely as a political misstep, but as a profound spiritual lapse with far-reaching consequences for himself and for Israel. The separation between Samuel and Saul symbolizes the divine withdrawal from the king, leaving him increasingly isolated and vulnerable, ultimately leading to his demise.