שמואל א, פרק י״ב, פסוק כ״ג

After the people express deep regret for demanding a human king, their long-standing leader steps forward to calm their fears and reassure them of his unwavering support. He draws a direct parallel between God's forgiveness and his own: just as God pardons the nation for their wrongdoing, he too completely forgives the personal insult they caused him when they asked for a new ruler to replace him [מצודת דוד].

Because the people have sincerely repented and confessed their sins, the dynamic of responsibility shifts. Samuel declares that if he were to act cruelly by refusing to forgive them and cutting off his prayers on their behalf, he himself would now be considered a sinner before God [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. He views the very thought of abandoning his prayers as something entirely profane and disgraceful [מצודת ציון]. Instead, he vows never to cease pleading for them, knowing that his prayers are essential to save the nation from the deadly consequences of their initial sin [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Moving forward, Samuel commits to protecting the people through two parallel avenues: constant prayer and active guidance [מלבי״ם]. He promises to continue teaching them the good and right path [מצודת ציון]. Through this commitment, he makes it clear that even though they now have a king to lead them, he has no intention of abandoning his post. He will remain firmly by their side, continuing to serve as their devoted spiritual guide [ביאור שטיינזלץ].