This is the story of how Saul lost the kingship of Israel.
I find it interesting how at the end Samuel announces to Saul that this "tearing away the kingdom" from him will without doubt happen because God is "not a man, that He should lie or repent". Yet, Samuel grieved over Saul, and it's noted that the LORD also repented that He had made Saul king.
So, The Lord doesn't repent, but He repented of making Saul king?
What if Saul had refused to believe that the LORD doesn't repent, and thought "Perhaps, if God can change his mind about me being king, then maybe - if I repent - he will change it back?"
Of course, Saul seems to have no real regard for the LORD, since during the account he constantly calls the LORD "your [Samuel's] God", and rather than even trying to repent (even if all to be gained from repentance were a restored personal relationship to the LORD) He gets Samuel to go through the motions so he can be honored before the elders of his people, but isn't exerting any energy to be honored by "Samuel's" God. Saul's attitude reminds me of a verse from Isaiah: "Stop regarding man, in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?"
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