Sāmǔĕrjìshàng 12

1 Sǎmǔĕr duì Yǐsèliè zhòngrén shuō , nǐmen xiàng wǒ suǒ qiú de , wǒ yǐ yīngyún le , wèi nǐmen lì le yī gè wáng .

2 Xiànzaì yǒu zhè wáng zaì nǐmen qiánmian xíng . wǒ yǐ nián lǎo fā bái , wǒde érzi dōu zaì nǐmen zhèlǐ . wǒ cóng yòunián zhídào jīnrì dōu zaì nǐmen qiánmian xíng .

3 Wǒ zaì zhèlǐ , nǐmen yào zaì Yēhéhuá hé tāde shòu gāo zhĕ miànqián gĕi wǒ zuò jiànzhèng . wǒ duó guō shuí de niú , qiǎng guō shuí de lü , qīfu guō shuí , nüè dāi guō shuí , cóng shuí shǒu lǐ shòu guō huìlù yīn ér yǎn xiā ne . ruò yǒu , wǒ bì chánghuán .

4 Zhòngrén shuō , nǐ wèicéng qīfu wǒmen , nüè dāi wǒmen , yĕ wèicéng cóng shuí shǒu lǐ shòu guō shénme .

5 Sǎmǔĕr duì tāmen shuō , nǐmen zaì wǒ shǒu lǐ méiyǒu zhǎo zhe shénme , yǒu Yēhéhuá hé tāde shòu gāo zhĕ jīnrì wéi zhèng . tāmen shuō , yuàn tā wéi zhèng .

6 Sǎmǔĕr duì bǎixìng shuō , cóng qián lì Móxī , Yàlún , yòu lǐng nǐmen lièzǔ chū Āijí dì de shì Yēhéhuá .

7 Xiànzaì nǐmen yào zhàn zhù , dĕng wǒ zaì Yēhéhuá miànqián duì nǐmen jiǎnglùn Yēhéhuá xiàng nǐmen hé nǐmen lièzǔ suǒ xíng yīqiè gōngyì de shì .

8 Cóng qián Yǎgè dào le Āijí , hòulái nǐmen lièzǔ hū qiú Yēhéhuá , Yēhéhuá jiù chāiqiǎn Móxī , Yàlún lǐng nǐmen lièzǔ chū Āijí , shǐ tāmen zaì zhè dìfang jūzhù .

9 Tāmen què wàngjì Yēhéhuá tāmende shén , tā jiù bǎ tāmen fù yù Xiàsuǒ jiāng jūn Xīxīlā de shǒu lǐ , hé Fēilìshì rén bìng Móyē wáng de shǒu lǐ . yúshì zhèxie rén cháng lái gōngjī tāmen .

10 Tāmen jiù hū qiú Yēhéhuá shuō , wǒmen lí qì Yēhéhuá , shìfèng bāLìhé Yàsītālù , shì yǒu zuì le . xiànzaì qiú nǐ jiù wǒmen tuōlí chóudí de shǒu , wǒmen bì shìfèng nǐ .

11 Yēhéhuá jiù chāiqiǎn yé lù bā lì , bǐ dàn , Yēfútā , Sǎmǔĕr jiù nǐmen tuōlí sìwéi chóudí de shǒu , nǐmen cái ānrán jūzhù .

12 Nǐmen jiàn Yàmén rén de wáng ná xiá lái gōngjī nǐmen , jiù duì wǒ shuō , wǒmen déng yào yī gè wáng zhìlǐ wǒmen . qíshí Yēhéhuá nǐmen de shén shì nǐmen de wáng .

13 Xiànzaì , nǐmen suǒ qiú suǒ xuǎn de wáng zaì zhèlǐ . kàn nǎ , Yēhéhuá yǐjing wèi nǐmen lì wáng le .

14 Nǐmen ruò jìngwèi Yēhéhuá , shìfèng tā , tīng cóng tāde huà , bù wéibeì tāde mìnglìng , nǐmen hé zhìlǐ nǐmen de wáng yĕ dōu shùncóng Yēhéhuá nǐmen de shén jiù hǎo le .

15 Tǎngruò bù tīng cóng Yēhéhuá de huà , wéibeì tāde mìnglìng , Yēhéhuá de shǒu bì gōngjī nǐmen , xiàng cóng qián gōngjī nǐmen lièzǔ yíyàng .

16 Xiànzaì nǐmen yào zhàn zhù , kàn Yēhéhuá zaì nǐmen yǎnqián yào xíng yī jiàn dà shì .

17 Zhè bú shì gē maìzi de shíhou ma . wǒ qiúgào Yēhéhuá , tā bì dá léi jiàng yǔ , shǐ nǐmen yòu zhīdào yòu kàn chū , nǐmen qiú lì wáng de shì shì zaì Yēhéhuá miànqián fàn dà zuì le .

18 Yúshì Sǎmǔĕr qiúgào Yēhéhuá , Yēhéhuá jiù zaì zhè rì dá léi jiàng yǔ , zhòng mín biàn shén jùpà Yēhéhuá hé Sǎmǔĕr .

19 Zhòng mín duì Sǎmǔĕr shuō , qiú nǐ wèi púrén men dǎogào Yēhéhuá nǐde shén , miǎndé wǒmen sǐwáng , yīnwei wǒmen qiú lì wáng de shì zhēng shì zuì shàng jiā zuì le .

20 Sǎmǔĕr duì bǎixìng shuō , búyào jùpà . nǐmen suīrán xíng le zhè è , què búyào piānlí Yēhéhuá , zhǐyào jìnxīn shìfèng tā .

21 Ruò piānlí Yēhéhuá qù shùncóng nà bùnéng jiù rén de xū shén shì wúyì de .

22 Yēhéhuá jì xǐyuè xuǎn nǐmen zuò tāde zǐmín , jiù bì yīn tāde dà míng bù piĕ qì nǐmen .

23 Zhìyú wǒ , duàn bù tíng zhǐ wèi nǐmen dǎogào , yǐzhì dé zuì Yēhéhuá . wǒ bì yǐ shàn dào zhēng lù zhǐjiào nǐmen .

24 Zhǐyào nǐmen jìngwèi Yēhéhuá , chéng chéngshí shí dì jìnxīn shìfèng tā , xiǎngniàn tā xiàng nǐmen suǒ xíng de shì hédĕng dà .

25 Nǐmen ruò réngrán zuò è , nǐmen hé nǐmen de wáng bì yītóng mièwáng .

Sāmǔĕrjìshàng 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Samuel testifies his integrity. (1-5) Samuel reproves the people. (6-15) Thunder sent in harvest time. (16-25)

Verses 1-5 Samuel not only cleared his own character, but set an example before Saul, while he showed the people their ingratitude to God and to himself. There is a just debt which all men to their own good name, especially men in public stations, which is, to guard it against unjust blame and suspicions, that they may finish their course with honour, as well as with joy. And that we have in our places lived honestly, will be our comfort, under any slights and contempt that may be put upon us.

Verses 6-15 The work of ministers is to reason with people; not only to exhort and direct, but to persuade, to convince men's judgments, and so to gain their wills and affections. Samuel reasons of the righteous acts of the Lord. Those who follow God faithfully, he will enable to continue following him. Disobedience would certainly be the ruin of Israel. We mistake if we think that we can escape God's justice, by trying to shake off his dominion. If we resolve that God shall not rule us, yet he will judge us.

Verses 16-25 At Samuel's word, God sent thunder and rain, at a season of the year when, in that country, the like was not seen. This was to convince them they had done wickedly in asking a king; not only by its coming at an unusual time, in wheat harvest, and on a clear day, but by the prophet's giving notice of it before. He showed their folly in desiring a king to save them, rather than God, or Samuel; promising themselves more from an arm of flesh, than from the arm of God, or from the power of prayer. Could their prince command such forces as the prophet could do by his prayers? It startled them very much. Some will not be brought to see their sins by any gentler methods than storms and thunders. They entreat Samuel to pray for them. Now they see their need of him whom shortly before they slighted. Thus many who will not have Christ to reign over them, would yet be glad to have him intercede for them, to turn away the wrath of God. Samuel aims to confirm the people in their religion. Whatever we make a god of, we shall find it deceive us. Creatures in their own places are good; but when put in God's place, they are vain things. We sin if we restrain prayer, and in particular if we cease praying for the church. They only asked him to pray for them; but he promises to do more, to teach them. He urges that they were bound in gratitude to serve God, considering what great things he had done for them; and that they were bound in interest to serve him, considering what he would do against them, if they should still do wickedly. Thus, as a faithful watchman, he gave them warning, and so delivered his own soul. If we consider what great things the Lord hath done for us, especially in the great work of redemption, we can neither want motive, encouragement, nor assistance in serving him.

Chapter Summary

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.