Did God make a mistake?

[mrcorey]

1Sa 15:35b "...And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel."

I don't quite understand this verse. It seems to me that God made a mistake. But how is that possible?

in Him;

-c-

[Anne]

In my version (KJV) it says:-

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

Looking at the word, repented, in Hebrew it means to be a nourisher, or a nurse.

But I still don't understand, what this means in context of this verse. I know God did not make a mistake, so what is being said here, can anyone else shed light on this?

[Openly Curious]

The Lord simply gave the people of Israel a king after "their" own heart like they wanted. They wanted a king like all the other nations the Lord did not want that but He Himself wanted to be their King but they rejected God. So God chose a man after "their" heart and made him king and as far as kings would go Saul was a good looking man and tall one that they would be proud so to speak to have as a king. God had change Saul heart and gave him another one it says in scriptures. But it was not the Lord's desire but the people's

Even God warned Samuel about all the consequences of what the king would do if they persisted on wanting a king over them and Samuel warned them but they still wanted a king so God gave them their desire. And it turned out disaterous for them.

Then God gave them a king "after His own heart" and that was King David a shephard boy red hair and ruddy scripture says not the kind of person you'd normally see being a king but it was one after God's own heart and God never had to change David's heart like He did Saul's which I have always found that interesting. blessings hope i have helped. But God didn't make the mistake it was the people who made the mistake in wanting their own way instead of letting God be their king.

OC

[redeemed098]

It simply greived God that the people would choose to do this...Given that they could have listened to God and had the King of Kings as their Ultimate ruler.

Instead, they wanted a King that they could SEE, just like the nations around them. He even warned them what the cost would be of such a choice, yet they still wanted it..

So he gave it to them.

Regards,

Ben.

[st. Worm]

God did not make a mistake. In Numbers 23:19 we read "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind." That passage speaks directly to the nature of God. God does not lie nor change his mind. The passage you brought up is one of several in the Bible that are written in anthropormorphic language, that is words that make sense from a human perspective trying to describe a particular action of God who is beyond human language. They should not be taken in a literal sense because to do so provides what would be contradictory information about God.

sw

[cjrose]

1Sa 15:35b "...And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel."

I don't quite understand this verse. It seems to me that God made a mistake. But how is that possible?

in Him;

-c-

God does not make mistakes. Period.

[Anne]

Thanks Butero

[st. Worm]

To repent basically means to turn around and go in another direction. Let's look at the verse carefully. 1 Samuel 15:35 "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: neverthelesss Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel." A comparison is being made. Samuel is sorry that Saul has been rejected, and is mourning over it, but regardless of the feelings of the Prophet, God has made an irrevocable decision to remove Saul from office. He repented, went in a differen't direction. God had chosen David as Saul's successor.

I've never heard of repentance meaning just to "turn around and go in another direction". The biblical definition of repentance always includes remorse for sinful behavior. As such, using your explanation God sinned and repented of that sin which we know is impossible. It would also make no sense to say I was driving my car south but then repented and drove my car north.

sw

[LightofJesus]

To repent basically means to turn around and go in another direction. Let's look at the verse carefully. 1 Samuel 15:35 "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: neverthelesss Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel." A comparison is being made. Samuel is sorry that Saul has been rejected, and is mourning over it, but regardless of the feelings of the Prophet, God has made an irrevocable decision to remove Saul from office. He repented, went in a differen't direction. God had chosen David as Saul's successor.

I've never heard of repentance meaning just to "turn around and go in another direction". The biblical definition of repentance always includes remorse for sinful behavior. As such, using your explanation God sinned and repented of that sin which we know is impossible. It would also make no sense to say I was driving my car south but then repented and drove my car north.

sw

Repent does mean to turn around it has nothing to do with sin in its meaning it means to turn around to change direction.

[st. Worm]

To repent basically means to turn around and go in another direction. Let's look at the verse carefully. 1 Samuel 15:35 "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: neverthelesss Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel." A comparison is being made. Samuel is sorry that Saul has been rejected, and is mourning over it, but regardless of the feelings of the Prophet, God has made an irrevocable decision to remove Saul from office. He repented, went in a differen't direction. God had chosen David as Saul's successor.

I've never heard of repentance meaning just to "turn around and go in another direction". The biblical definition of repentance always includes remorse for sinful behavior. As such, using your explanation God sinned and repented of that sin which we know is impossible. It would also make no sense to say I was driving my car south but then repented and drove my car north.

sw

Repent does mean to turn around it has nothing to do with sin in its meaning it means to turn around to change direction.

So you use the term repent when you turn your car around and go in another direction? So when the New Testament says repent and believe you merely turn and go in another direction with no regard to being sorry for your sins? That makes no sense whatsoever.

sw