And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
Ver. 13. Thou hast done foolishly.] This was to reprove libere et rotunde, as one saith, freely and roundly, plainly and faithfully. But wherein had Saul offended? Surely in diffidence and disobedience: there was in him an "evil heart of unbelief, departing from the living God," Heb 3:12 to whom he should have adhered "with full purpose of heart," Act 11:23 and waited for his help according to his promise; "He that believeth maketh not haste." Some think that Saul had transgressed against some special commandment of God. To disobey God in the smallest matter is sin enough: there can be no sin little, because there is no little God to sin against.
For now would the Lord have established, &c.] Loquitur humano more, et ut videri poterat stabiliri regnum, saith Pellican: he speaketh after the manner of men, and as his kingdom might have seemed to us likely to have been established, See a like speech, 1 Samuel 2:30 Rev 2:15