1 Samuel 15:35Samuel 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.
The setting
Ramah, Israel, ~1020 BC. Samuel's house (modern Ramallah, West Bank). The old prophet sits in his home, remembering the young man he anointed. God Himself shares the grief.
The emotion here: recording the profound sadness of watching potential destroyed
The original word
abal (אָבַל) — to mourn as for the dead, though Saul still breathed
Why it matters
Samuel never saw Saul again for roughly 10-15 years until Saul's death at Mount Gilboa
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 15:35
Samuel mourned Saul like he was dead while Saul was still alive and ruling
Common misconceptionPeople think God changing His mind means He's uncertain, but 'grieved' here means God experiences real sorrow over human choices, not that He made a mistake.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 15:35
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 15:35 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 15:35 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 grieving, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include grief, regret. Notable phrases: Samuel mourned for Saul; Yahweh grieved.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 15:35 mean to you, today?
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