Excuses. Adam blamed Eve when he ate the apple (Genesis 3;12). When Moses returned from the mountain, he found the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. He asked Aaron what he was thinking and he replied that the gold was in the fire and the calf just jumped out (Exodus 32:21-22). King Saul blamed the people for taking the spoils of war and not destroying them (I Samuel 15:3,9,11,21) even though the Lord had told Saul to destroy the Amaleks and all they had.
Excuses are not effective when it comes to sinning. Adam was kicked out of paradise. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. King Saul lost the Lord’s blessing and the kingdom (I Samuel 15:28). Samuel even goes on to say in verse 23 that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Repenting, sincere and heartfelt, are much better than coming up with an excuse. Nothing is lost on God. He sees it all.