Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 15:26

"And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." — 1 Samuel 15:26 (ASV)

I will not return with thee. —Samuel too clearly sees what are the true sources of Saul’s repentance, and refuses at first. It was only, as C. a Lapide forcibly urges, a fear on the part of the king, of losing the kingdom and of incurring public disgrace. The prophet in reply again repeats the terrible Divine sentence of rejection.