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1 Samuel 12:1-5

Listen to 1 Samuel 12:1-5

Samuel's Final Public Speech

1 Then Samuel said to all Israel, "I have carefully listened to everything you said to me and placed a king over you.[a]
2 But now, you can see that the king is leading you. As for me, I'm old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from my youth until today.
3 Here I am. Bring charges against me before the Lord and His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken?[b] Whom have I wronged or mistreated? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to overlook something?[c][d][e]I will return it to you."
4 "You haven't wronged us, you haven't mistreated us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone's hand," they responded.
5 He said to them, "The Lord is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today that you haven't found anything in my hand." "[He is] a witness," they said.

1 Samuel 12:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 12

In this chapter Samuel, resigning the government to Saul, asserts the integrity with which he had performed his office, and calls upon the people of Israel to attest it, who did, 1Sa 12:1-5, he then reminds them of the great and good things the Lord had done for them in times past, 1Sa 12:6-11 and whereas they had desired a king, and one was given them, it was their interest to fear and serve the Lord; if not, his hand would be against them, 1Sa 12:10-15 he terrifies them by calling for thunder in an unusual time, 1Sa 12:16-19 and then comforts and encourages them, that in doing their duty God would be with them, and not forsake them, otherwise they might expect nothing but ruin and destruction, 1Sa 12:20-25.

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Footnotes 5

  • [a] 1 Sm 8:5-22
  • [b] Ex 20:17; Nm 16:15
  • [c] LXX reads bribe or a pair of shoes? Testify against me.
  • [d] Lit bribe and will hide my eyes with it?
  • [e] Dt 16:19
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

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