1 Samuel 15:23 (YLT)

Passage

for a sin of divination <FI>is<Fi> rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim <FI>is<Fi> stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from <FI>being<Fi> king.'

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 15:21 and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.'

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel saith, `Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as <FI>in<Fi> hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;

1 Samuel 15:23 for a sin of divination <FI>is<Fi> rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim <FI>is<Fi> stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from <FI>being<Fi> king.'

1 Samuel 15:24 And Saul saith unto Samuel, `I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice;

1 Samuel 15:25 and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "divination", "rebellion", "iniquity", "teraphim", "stubbornness", "thou", "hast", and "rejected". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "divination" and "rebellion", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "And Samuel saith Hath Jehovah had delight..." into verse 24's "And Saul saith unto Samuel I have...", so "divination" and "rebellion" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "divination" and "rebellion" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.