1 Samuel 15:29

15:29 The Preeminent One ¹  of Israel does not go back on his word ²  or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.” ³ 

1 Samuel 17:32

17:32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. ⁴  Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!”

1 Samuel 24:9

24:9 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’?

1 Samuel 25:29

25:29 When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag ⁵  of the living by the Lord your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling’s pocket!

[15:29]  ¹ tn Heb “splendor,” used here by metonymy as a title for the Lord.

[15:29]  ² tn Or perhaps “does not lie.”

[15:29]  ³ sn This observation marks the preceding statement (v. 28) as an unconditional, unalterable decree. When God makes such a decree he will not alter it or change his mind. This does not mean that God never deviates from his stated intentions or changes his mind. On the contrary, several passages describe him as changing his mind. In fact, his willingness to do so is one of his fundamental divine attributes (see Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). For a fuller discussion see R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “Does God Change His Mind?” BSac 152 (1995): 387-99.

[17:32]  ⁴ tn Heb “Let not the heart of a man fall upon him.” The LXX reads “my lord,” instead of “a man.”

[25:29]  ⁷ tn Cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV “bundle”; NLT “treasure pouch.”