Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageSamuel never saw Saul again until his dying day, for Samuel mourned deeply for Saul. And Yahweh regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GShemu'el did not see Sha'ul again until the day of his death, for Shemu'el grieved over Sha'ul. And YHWH relented that He had made Sha'ul king over Yisra'el.
KJV
King James VersionAnd Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleAnd to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
Footnotes
The chapter closes with a double grief. Samuel's *hitabbal* (הִתְאַבֵּל) — the verb used of formal mourning rites — is directed toward a living man, as though Saul were already dead to him. And YHWH's *nacham* returns (cf. v. 11), framing the entire chapter in divine sorrow. The paradox with v. 29 ('He will not *nacham*') is left unresolved — deliberately so. YHWH's sovereign covenant purposes are immovable (*lo nacham* as principle of character), yet He is not emotionally detached from human tragedy (*nacham* as genuine grief). FOG renders 'relented' to retain the ambiguity of changed disposition; FOG Message renders 'regretted' to lean into the depth of divine sorrow. The chapter ends with both prophet and God in mourning — a portrait of divine pathos that the psalmists and prophets will return to again and again.