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1 Samuel 12:6-15

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6 Then Samuel said to the people, "The Lord, who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt, is a witness.[a]
7 Now present yourselves, so I may judge you before the Lord about all the righteous acts He has done for you and your ancestors.
8 "When Jacob went to Egypt,[b] your ancestors cried out to the Lord,[c] and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.[d]
9 But they forgot the Lord their God, so He handed them over to Sisera[e] commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab.[f] [These enemies] fought against them.
10 Then they cried out to the Lord and said, 'We have sinned, for we abandoned the Lord and worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the power of our enemies,[g] and we will serve You.'
11 So the Lord sent Jerubbaal,[h] Barak,[i] Jephthah,[j] and Samuel.[k] He rescued you from the power of the enemies around you, and you lived securely.
12 But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites[l] was coming against you, you said to me, 'No, we must have a king rule over us'[m]-even though the Lord your God is your king.[n]
13 "Now here is the king you've chosen, the one you requested. Look, this is the king the Lord has placed over you.
14 If you fear the Lord, worship and obey Him, and if you don't rebel against the Lord's command, then both you and the king who rules over you will follow the Lord your God.
15 However, if you disobey the Lord and rebel against His command, the Lord's hand will be against you and against your ancestors.[o][p]
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1 Samuel 12:6-15 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
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Footnotes 16

  • [a] LXX; MT omits is a witness
  • [b] LXX reads When Jacob and his sons went to Egypt and Egypt humbled them
  • [c] Ex 2:23-25
  • [d] Ex 3:1-10
  • [e] Jdg 4:1-2
  • [f] Jdg 2:11-15
  • [g] Jdg 2:18
  • [h] Jdg 6:11-12,32
  • [i] LXX, Syr; MT reads Bedan; Jdg 4:6; Heb 11:32
  • [j] Jdg 11:1
  • [k] 1 Sm 7:10-14
  • [l] 1 Sm 11:1-2
  • [m] 1 Sm 8:19
  • [n] Jdg 8:23
  • [o] LXX reads your king
  • [p] Lv 26:14-33; Jos 24:14-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

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