1 Samuel 13-15

Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. (1 Samuel‬ ‭15:35‬)

Saul is a questionable leader, indeed. He acts foolishly and disobediently toward the LORD (1 Samuel 13:13). He makes a foolish, risky vow (1Samuel 14:24). He is afraid of the men he leads (1 Samuel 15:24b).  Saul seems a regrettable choice for king for these and other reasons.

Does God really regret some of the ways God has acted or spoken in history, or do the biblical writers attribute to God the regret they themselves feel, or is something else “in play” here?

I’ve acted and spoken in regrettable ways. Does God regret God’s choice of me? And what about God’s choice of you, reader?