Moreover, the Glory of IsraelThis phrase refers to God Himself, emphasizing His majesty and honor. The term "Glory of Israel" highlights God's unique relationship with Israel as their divine protector and leader. In the Old Testament, God's glory is often associated with His presence and power, as seen in the tabernacle and the temple (
Exodus 40:34-35,
1 Kings 8:10-11). This title underscores God's sovereignty and His role as the ultimate authority over Israel.
does not lie
God's nature is fundamentally truthful and reliable. Unlike humans, who are prone to deceit, God embodies truth (Numbers 23:19). This assurance of God's truthfulness is a recurring theme in Scripture, providing a foundation for trust in His promises and commands. The Bible consistently portrays God as faithful and unchanging in His word (Titus 1:2,Hebrews 6:18).
or change His mind
This phrase emphasizes God's immutability, meaning He does not change His nature or decisions capriciously. While there are instances in Scripture where God appears to "relent" (such as inJonah 3:10), these are understood as part of His sovereign plan and consistent with His character. God's purposes are eternal and unalterable (Malachi 3:6,James 1:17).
for He is not a man
This highlights the distinction between God and humanity. Humans are finite, fallible, and subject to change, whereas God is infinite, perfect, and constant. This distinction is crucial in understanding the nature of God as transcendent and wholly other, yet also immanent and involved in His creation (Isaiah 55:8-9).
that He should change His mind.
Reiterating the previous point, this phrase underscores God's steadfastness. In the context of1 Samuel 15, it contrasts with Saul's disobedience and the resulting divine judgment. God's decisions are based on His perfect wisdom and justice, and He remains consistent in His dealings with humanity. This assurance of God's unchanging nature is a source of comfort and confidence for believers, as seen in the fulfillment of His promises through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:8).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
SamuelA prophet and judge of Israel who anointed Saul as king and later conveyed God's message of rejection to him.
2.
SaulThe first king of Israel, whose disobedience to God's command led to his rejection as king.
3.
The Glory of IsraelA title for God, emphasizing His majesty, faithfulness, and unchanging nature.
4.
AmalekitesA people whom God commanded Saul to completely destroy as a judgment for their past sins against Israel.
5.
GilgalThe location where Samuel confronted Saul about his disobedience and delivered God's message of rejection.
Teaching Points
God's Unchanging NatureGod's character and promises are consistent and reliable. Unlike humans, God does not change His mind or lie. This provides a foundation of trust for believers.
The Consequences of DisobedienceSaul's failure to fully obey God's command led to his rejection as king. This serves as a warning about the seriousness of disobedience and the importance of complete obedience to God's will.
The Importance of RepentanceWhile God does not change His mind, He is merciful and forgiving to those who genuinely repent. Believers are encouraged to seek God's forgiveness and align their lives with His commands.
God's Sovereignty and AuthorityGod's decisions and judgments are final and just. Recognizing His sovereignty helps believers to submit to His authority and trust in His perfect plan.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 15:29?
2.How does 1 Samuel 15:29 affirm God's unchanging nature in our daily lives?
3.What does "He who is the Glory of Israel" reveal about God's character?
4.How can we trust God's promises based on 1 Samuel 15:29?
5.Connect 1 Samuel 15:29 with Hebrews 13:8 about God's consistency.
6.How should God's immutability influence our decision-making and faithfulness?
7.How does 1 Samuel 15:29 reconcile with God's omniscience and immutability?
8.Why does 1 Samuel 15:29 emphasize God's inability to change His mind?
9.What is the significance of God being called "the Glory of Israel" in 1 Samuel 15:29?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 15?
11.How does 1 Samuel 15:11, where God regrets making Saul king, align with the belief in God’s omniscience?
12.Numbers 23:19: How do we reconcile “God is not a man...that he should repent” with passages elsewhere depicting God changing His mind (e.g., Genesis 6:6)?
13.Why does the Bible teach that God "repents" (Genesis 6:6, Exodus 32:14) if He is omniscient and never makes mistakes?
14.How can Jeremiah 20:7 be reconciled with James 1:13, which states that God never tempts or deceives anyone?What Does 1 Samuel 15:29 Mean
moreover• This single word links Saul’s immediate situation—God rejecting him as king (1 Samuel 15:26-28)—to an unchanging truth about God Himself.
• It reminds us that God’s decision is final, not a spur-of-the-moment reaction. SeeNumbers 23:19, where Balaam prefaces the same truth with “Behold,” underscoring divine certainty.
the Glory of Israel• A majestic title for the LORD, highlighting that every ounce of Israel’s splendor comes from Him, not from any human ruler. ComparePsalm 24:8-10, where He is called “the King of glory,” and1 Samuel 4:21-22, where “Ichabod” marks the tragedy of glory departing.
• By using this name, Samuel assures Saul that God’s honor is at stake in keeping His word; His reputation cannot be tarnished.
does not lie• God’s statements are always fact; He never misleads or backtracks.
• Cross references:Titus 1:2 “God, who cannot lie,” andHebrews 6:18 “it is impossible for God to lie.”
• For Saul, this means that when God decrees his kingdom will be torn away, no clever excuses or public displays can reverse it.
or change His mind• The phrase emphasizes God’s immutability—His plans stand firm.Malachi 3:6 declares, “I, the LORD, do not change.”
• While Scripture sometimes speaks of God “relenting” (e.g.,Jonah 3:10) to show His responsiveness to repentance, in covenantal judgments like this one, His verdict is fixed.
•James 1:17 calls Him “the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
for He is not a man• Humans vacillate, get new information, or bow to pressure; God does none of these.
•Psalm 50:21 warns those who assume God is like us: “You thought I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you.”
• The contrast magnifies God’s perfection and exposes human frailty, especially Saul’s tendency to rationalize disobedience (1 Samuel 15:20-21).
that He should change His mind• The verse ends by repeating the central point for emphasis.
•Numbers 23:19 uses identical language; two witnesses establish every matter (Deuteronomy 19:15), so the truth is doubly sealed.
• For believers today, this assures us that every promise—from salvation in Christ (John 10:28-29) to future glory (Romans 8:30)—is anchored in God’s unalterable character.
summary1 Samuel 15:29 teaches that the LORD, the very Glory of His people, is absolutely truthful and unchangeable. Because He is unlike fickle humanity, His decrees stand and His promises remain rock-solid. Saul’s lost kingdom and our secure salvation alike rest on this same immovable foundation: God does not lie, and He never changes His mind.
(29)
The Strength of Israel will not lie.--This title of the Eternal, here rendered "the Strength of Israel," would be better rendered
the Changeless One of Israel.The Hebrew word is first found in this passage. In later Hebrew, as in
1Chronicles 29:2, it is rendered "glory," from the Aramaean usage of speech (Keil). Some, less accurately, would translate it here "The Victory," or "the Triumph of Israel," will not lie, &c. In the eleventh verse of this chapter we read of the Eternal saying, "
It repenteth methat I have set up Saul to be king," while here we find how "the Changeless One (or Strength) of Israel
will . . .not repent."The truth is that with God there is no change.
NowHe approves of men and their works and days, and promises them rich blessings;
nowHe condemns and punishes the ways and actions of the same men; hence He is said "to repent:" but the change springs alone from a change in the men themselves, not in God. Speaking in human language the Lord is said "to repent" because there was what appeared to be a change in the Eternal counsels.
"One instrument," well says Dean Payne Smith, "may be laid aside, and another chosen (as was the case of Saul), because God ordains that the instruments by which He works shall be beings endowed with free will." So God in the case of King Saul--in human language--was said to repent of His choice because, owing to Saul's deliberate choice of evil, the Divine purposes could not in his case be carried out. Predictions and promises in the Scriptures are never absolute, but are always conditional. Still, God is ever the "Changeless One of Israel." "The counsel of the Lord stands for ever" (Psalm 33:11). "I am Jehovah; I change not" (Malachi 3:6).
Verse 29. -
The Strength - better, as in the margin, the Victory or Triumph -
of Israel. He who is Israel's Victory, or He in whom Israel has victory, will not repent. In ver. 11 God was said to repent, because there was what appeared to be a change in the Divine counsels. "God gave Israel a king in his anger, and took him away in his wrath" (
Hosea 13:11). But such modes of speaking are in condescension to human weakness. Absolutely with God there is no change. He is the Eternal Present, with whom all things that were, and are, and shall be are one. But even looked at from below, as this finite creature man looks at his Maker's acts, there is no change in the Divine counsels, because, amidst all the vicissitudes of human events, God's will moves calmly forward without let or hindrance. No lower or secondary motives influence him, no rival power thwarts him. One instrument may be laid aside, and another chosen, because God ordains that the instruments by which he works shall be beings endowed with free will. Saul was the very counterpart of the Jewish people - highly endowed with noble qualities, but headstrong, self-willed, disobedient. Nevertheless, he laid the foundation for the throne of David, who in so many points was the ideal of the theocratic king; and Israel in like manner prepared the way for the coming of the true Messianic King, and gave mankind the one Catholic,
i.e. universal, religion. "He who is Israel's Victory does not repent."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Moreover,וְגַם֙(wə·ḡam)Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571:Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, andthe Gloryנֵ֣צַח(nê·ṣaḥ)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5331:Eminence, enduring, everlastingness, perpetuityof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל(yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his descdoes notלֹ֥א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nolieיְשַׁקֵּ֖ר(yə·šaq·qêr)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8266:To do or deal falselyor change His mind,יִנָּחֵ֑ם(yin·nā·ḥêm)Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5162:To sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avengeforכִּ֣י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionHeה֖וּא(hū)Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931:He, self, the same, this, that, as, areis notוְלֹ֣א(wə·lō)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noa man,אָדָ֛ם(’ā·ḏām)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120:Ruddy, a human beingthat He should change His mind.”לְהִנָּחֵֽם׃(lə·hin·nā·ḥêm)Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5162:To sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avenge
Links
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OT History: 1 Samuel 15:29 Also the Strength of Israel will not (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) 
