1 Samuel 15:27As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~1020 BC. Gilgal. King Saul physically grabs the edge of Samuel's robe as the prophet turns to leave forever. The sound of tearing fabric becomes a symbol of the torn kingdom. Modern-day West Bank, Palestine.
The emotion here: recording this moment with tragic awareness of what the torn robe symbolizes
The original word
kanaph (כָּנָף) — wing, corner, edge - the same word used for God's protective 'wings' that Saul is desperately grabbing
Why it matters
Tearing robes was both an accident here and a prophetic sign - Samuel uses this very tear to symbolize the kingdom being torn from Saul
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 15:27
This is the only physical contact described between Saul and Samuel - desperation makes even kings grab at clothing
Common misconceptionPeople focus on the drama of the grabbing, but miss that this torn robe becomes Samuel's object lesson in the next verse about the kingdom being torn away.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 15:27
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 15:27 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 15:27 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include desperation, symbolic action. Notable phrases: grabbed the skirt; it tore.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 15:27 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "anxious"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.