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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 Samuel 15:23

rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, &c. Opposition to the will of God is as bad as divination by the help of evil spirits, which is tantamount to apostasy from God: obstinate resistance to Him is no better than worshipping idols (vanityor emptiness) and images (teraphim: see note on 1 Samuel 19:13). Disobedience is in fact idolatry, because it elevates self-will into a god.

There seems to be an allusion to Saul's zeal in abolishing the practice of witchcraft (1 Samuel 28:3). Samuel charges him with being not less guilty than those whom he had been so eager to condemn.

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See also 1 Samuel 15:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 15:23. _FOR REBELLION_ IS AS _THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT, AND_ _STUBBORNNESS_ IS AS _INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY._] This is no translation of those difficult words, כי חטאת קסם מרי ואון ותרפים הפ...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The meaning is “Rebellion is as bad as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as bad as worshipping false gods (iniquity), and teraphim (idolatry).”...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    8. WAR WITH AMALEK: SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The commission to destroy Amalek (1 Samuel 15:1)_ 2. Saul's disobedience and rejection (1 Samuel 15:10) 3. Saul's confession ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XV. THE WAR AGAINST AMALEK; SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND DEPOSITION (E). - A section of a secondary narrative; according to the scheme adopted here, the last section of this document was 1 Samuel 3:3 to 1...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SIN. Hebrew. _chata'._ App-44. WITCHCRAFT. divination or necromancy; i.e. dealings with spirits. INIQUITY. Hebrew. _'aven._ App-44....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 299 SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT 1 Samuel 15:22. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obe...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND SAMUEL SAID, HATH THE LORD, &C.— The excision of the Amalekites, and the rejection of Saul for omitting to fulfil the commission given to him, have been objected to by free-thinkers. I. With respe...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Samuel Delivers the Lord's Message of Condemnation. 1 Samuel 15:10-23_ 10 Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying. 11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul _to be_ king: for he is turne...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _FOR REBELLION IS AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT, AND STUBBORNNESS IS AS INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY. BECAUSE THOU HAST REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, HE HATH ALSO REJECTED THEE FROM BEING KING._ Rebellion is as...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    15:23 idolatry. (d-15) 'Teraphim,' i.e. 'idols.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Samuel goes behind Saul's pretended motive, sacrifice, to his real disobedience. INIQUITY] RV 'idolatry.' IDOLATRY] RV 'teraphim': see on 1 Samuel 19:13. 24, 25. Saul's feeling was not true repentance...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SAUL'S VICTORY OVER AMALEK. HIS DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION Amalek had attacked Israel at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8) and opposed their entrance into Canaan (Numbers 14:45 : cp. Deuteronomy 25:7; They are m...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 15 GOD REFUSES SAUL AS KING V1 Samuel said to Saul, ‘The *Lord sent me to *anoint you as king over his people, the *Israelites. Now listen to...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR REBELLION IS AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT. — Witchcraft, more literally _soothsaying_ or _divination,_ was a sin constantly held up to reprobation in the Old Testament. It was the greatest of all the...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּ֤י חַטַּאת ־קֶ֨סֶם֙ מֶ֔רִי וְ אָ֥וֶן וּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXI. _ THE FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL_ 1 Samuel 15:1. HERE we find the second portion of God's indictment against Saul, and the reason for his final rejection from the office to which he had be...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXIII. _ DAVID'S EARLY LIFE*_ (* A few paragraphs on the Life of David are reproduced from the author's book “David, King of Israel.") 1 Samuel 15:14. BEFORE we enter at large into the inc...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SHALLOW REPENTANCE UNAVAILING 1 Samuel 15:17 Samuel was deeply moved when he heard of Saul's failure, “and he cried unto the Lord all night.” Thus he was prepared to accost the sinful king. Mr. Finne...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Saul was commissioned by Jehovah through Samuel to smite Amalek, and it was in connection with this that the sin occurred which filled his cup to the brim and caused him to be rejected. His campaign...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For (i) rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king. (i) God...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Obey. Hebrew, "Rebellion is the sin of divination or witchcraft, and resistance is iniquity, and the Theraphim." Symmachus, "the injustice of idols." Theraphim here designate idolatrous representation...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (13) And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. (14) And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in m...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have already seen that the desire and deliberate decision of the people for a king was a direct blow at the government of God in Israel; but the time was come to permit the will of the people to ha...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Nevertheless Saul is put to a final proof. Jehovah, by the mouth of Samuel, sends him to smite Amalek, and utterly destroy them and all that belonged to them. They were the cruel and determined enemie...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR REBELLION IS AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT,.... Or divination e, in whatsoever way it was exercised; for there were various sorts of it among the Heathens, and all condemned by the law of God, Deuteron...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king. Ver. 23. _F...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For rebellion_ Disobedience to God's command; _is as the sin of witchcraft_ Or the using divinations, and consulting familiar spirits, is as plainly condemned, and as certainly damnable and destructi...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Samuel sendeth Saul to destroy Amalek. 6 Saul fauoureth the Kenites. 8 Hee spareth Agag and the best of the spoile. 10 Samuel denounceth vnto Saul commending and excusing himselfe, Gods reiection...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, or divination, the service of demons in any form, AND STUBBORNNESS, in refusing to obey God's commands, IS AS INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY, in which the living God...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Samuel's Reproof...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    God had a more solemn controversy with the Amalekites than with the Philistines. The mere formal worship typified by the Philistines is empty; but Amalekite "lusts of the flesh" are a deadly enemy tha...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    WITCHCRAFT: _ Heb._ divination...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    10-23 Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; "He is turned back from following me." Hereby he made God his enemy. Samuel spent a wh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    REBELLION, i.e. disobedience to God's express precept, which was Saul's case. IS AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT; is, though not so great, yet as inexcusable and impudent a sin as witchcraft; as plainly cond...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 15:23 rebellion H4805 sin H2403 witchcraft H7081 stubbornness H6484 (H8687) iniquity H205 idolatry H8655 rejected...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SAMUEL SEEKS SAUL OUT IN ORDER TO GIVE HIM A STERN REBUKE AND DECLARE THAT YHWH HAS WITHDRAWN FROM HIM HIS SUPPORT (1 SAMUEL 15:12). We do not know for sure where Samuel was at this time although the...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 15:23 I. At the end of 1 Samuel 8, we find all arranged by the Divine command for a king being appointed over Israel, and at the beginning of chapter ix. we first read of Saul. His bodily sta...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 15 _(with 1 Timothy 1:19)_ The story of Saul is among the saddest which Scripture anywhere contains. I. Notice first the singular elements of nobleness which are to be traced in his natural...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Saul's incomplete obedience and his rejection as king. CHARACTERS: God, Samuel, Saul, Agag. CONCLUSION: Some judge many things in their lives, but spare one Agag which the Lord has condemn...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 15:2. _I remember what Amalek did; Numbers 17:8_; and what he has often repeated, in the effusion of innocent blood. He joined Midian, and the children of the east, in a bloody and unprovoked...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king._ SAUL REJECTED The story is graphic and pathetic. This is Saul’s victory and also his defeat. Our defeats are often wrapped up in our victories. S...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft._ REBELLION AGAINST GOD ALL MALIGNANT AS WITCHCRAFT To rebel against the clearest light and most express declaration of the will of God: this is an action of th...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 15:1 The Lord finally rejects Saul as king. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 15:23 REBELLION (see 1 Samuel 12:15) and PRESUMPTION mean rejecting the Lord. The Hebrew word translated

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 15:4. “TELAIM.” Most likely the same as _Telem_ (Joshua 15:21; Joshua 15:24), a city lying on the eastern border of Judah, and therefore near the territory of t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1.) EXPOSITION DIVINE COMMAND TO PUNISH THE AMALEKITES, AND ITS EXECUTION BY SAUL ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now as we get into chapter fifteen, Samuel came to Saul, and said, The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now hearken unto the voice of the words of the Lord (1 Samue...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Samuel 12:14; 1 Samuel 12:15; 1 Samuel 13:14;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE 1 Samuel 15:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Disobedience is black with the frown of God. Sin is the transgression of the Law. Disobedience is taking one's own way, as against...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Rebellion — Disobedience to God's command. Stubbornness — Contumacy in sin, justifying it, and pleading for it. Iniquity — Or, the iniquity of idolatry. Rejected — Hath pronounced the sentence of reje...

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