Teks -- 1 Samuel 15:23 (NET)

15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: 1Sa 15:23 - Rebellion

Disobedience to God's command.

Wesley: 1Sa 15:23 - Stubbornness

Contumacy in sin, justifying it, and pleading for it.

Wesley: 1Sa 15:23 - Iniquity

Or, the iniquity of idolatry.

Wesley: 1Sa 15:23 - Rejected

Hath pronounced the sentence of rejection: for that he was not actually deposed by God before, plainly appears, because not only the people, but even David, after this, owned him as king. Those are unworthy to rule over men, who are not willing that God should rule over them.

Clarke: 1Sa 15:23 - For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry

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 הפצר ki chattath kesem meri veaven utheraphim haphtsar . It appears to me that the three nouns which occur first in the text refer each to the three last in order. Thus, חטאת chattath , Transgression, refers to און aven , Iniquity, which is the principle whence transgression springs. קסם kesem , Divination, refers to תרפים teraphim , consecrated images or telesms, vulgarly talismans, used in incantations. And מרי meri , Rebellion, refers evidently to הפצר haphstar , Stubbornness, whence rebellion springs. The meaning therefore of this difficult place may be the following: As transgression comes from iniquity, divination from teraphim, and rebellion from stubbornness, so, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. All the versions are different.

TSK: 1Sa 15:23 - rebellion // witchcraft // stubbornness // thou hast rejected

rebellion : 1Sa 12:14, 1Sa 12:15; Num 14:9; Deu 9:7, Deu 9:24; Jos 22:16-19; Job 34:37; Psa 107:11; Jer 28:16, Jer 29:32; Eze 2:5-8

witchcraft : Heb. divination, Exo 22:18; Lev 20:6, Lev 20:27; Deu 18:10, Deu 18:11; Isa 8:19, Isa 19:3; Rev 22:15

stubbornness : 2Co 6:16; Gal 5:20; Rev 21:8

thou hast rejected : 1Sa 2:30, 1Sa 13:14, 1Sa 16:1; 2Ki 17:15-20; 1Ch 28:9

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Sa 15:23 - Rebellion // Is as the sin of witchcraft // Stubbornness // Is as iniquity and idolatry // Hath also rejected thee from being king

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 condemned, and as certainly destructive and damnable.

Stubbornness either wilful and presumptuous sin, whereby a man violently breaks loose from God’ s command, and resists his authority; or rather, perseverance or contumacy in sin, justifying it, and pleading for it, which was Saul’ s present crime.

Is as iniquity and idolatry or, the iniquity of idolatry ; this being an hendiadis ; as judgment and justice , Deu 16:18 , is put for the judgment of justice , or just judgment . Or, idolatry , (for so the Hebrew word aven signifies, as Jer 10:15 Hos 4:15 10:5 , compared with 1Ki 12:29 ) even the teraphim , which is here mentioned as one of the worst kinds of idolatry.

Hath also rejected thee from being king i.e. hath pronounced the sentence of rejection; for that he was not actually rejected or deposed by God plainly appears, because not only the people, but even David, after this, owned him as king; and Samuel, at Saul’ s desire, did honour him, i.e. own him as king, before the people, 1Sa 15:30 .

Haydock: 1Sa 15:23 - Obey

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 representations, Genesis xxxi. 19. They were probably of Chaldean origin, in honour of the sun and fire, (Calmet) and were venerated like the Penates, and supposed to be the sources of prosperity, from the Arabic Taraph, "to give abundance." Hence Laban was so solicitous to recover what Rachel had taken away. (Louis de Dieu) ---

By sacrifices we give our goods, or another's flesh is immolated; (Mor. xxxiii. 10.; Du Hamel) by obedience, we give ourselves to God. (St. Gregory) (Worthington)

Gill: 1Sa 15:23 - 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 rejected thee from being king

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, Deu 18:10. Now rebellion against God, or disobeying his commands, though in things otherwise, were they not forbidden by him, lawful to be done, is as heinous a sin as to be guilty of witchcraft, or any kind of divination forbidden by the law of God, and deserves as sore a punishment:

and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry: for a man, when he has committed a sin, to persist in it obstinately, or to vindicate himself in it, and insist on his innocence, which was Saul's case, is as hateful to God as any iniquity whatever; yea, as bad as idolatry, or making use of the teraphim, as is the word here; of which see Hos 3:4 than which nothing is more abominable to the Lord:

because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord; disregarded his command, treated it with contempt and abhorrence:

he hath rejected thee from being king; not actually, for he continued to exercise kingly power and authority to his death, and was treated as a king by his subjects, and even by David, though anointed by the Lord; but the sentence of rejection was pronounced upon him, and the bestowal of the government on his posterity was cut off.