1 Samuel 12:11-21

11 "Then the LORD sent ¹Jerubbaal and ²Bedan and ³Jephthah and ⁴Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all * around, so that you lived in security.

The King Confirmed

12 "When you saw ⁵that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, '⁶No, but a king shall reign over us,' ⁷although the LORD your God was your king.

13 "Now therefore, ⁸here is the king whom you have chosen, ⁹whom you have asked for, and behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

14 "¹⁰If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God.

15 "¹¹If you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then ¹²the hand of the LORD will be against you, ¹³as it was against your fathers.

16 "Even now, ¹⁴take your stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes.

17 "¹⁵Is it not the wheat harvest today? ¹⁶I will call to the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that ¹⁷your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king."

18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and ¹⁸all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 Then all the people said to Samuel, "¹⁹Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins ²⁰this evil by asking for ourselves a king."

20 Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet ²¹do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 "You must not turn aside, for then you would go after ²²futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.

1 Samuel 12:11-21 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.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 6:31, 32; Judges 7:1
• 2. Judges 4:6; Judges 11:1
• 3. Judges 11:29
• 4. 1 Samuel 3:20
• 5. 1 Samuel 11:1, 2
• 6. 1 Samuel 8:6, 19
• 7. Judges 8:23; 1 Samuel 8:7
• 8. 1 Samuel 10:24
• 9. 1 Samuel 8:5; 1 Samuel 12:17, 19; Hosea 13:11
• 10. Joshua 24:14
• 11. Leviticus 26:14, 15; Joshua 24:20; Isaiah 1:20
• 12. 1 Samuel 5:9
• 13. 1 Samuel 12:9
• 14. Exodus 14:13, 31
• 15. Proverbs 26:1
• 16. 1 Samuel 7:9, 10; James 5:16f
• 17. 1 Samuel 8:7
• 18. Exodus 14:31
• 19. Exodus 9:28; 1 Samuel 12:23; Jeremiah 15:1; 1 John 5:16
• 20. 1 Samuel 12:17, 20
• 21. Deuteronomy 11:16
• 22. Deuteronomy 11:16; Isaiah 41:29; Habakkuk 2:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Gr and Syr read "Barak"
• [b]. Lit "mouth"
• [c]. Lit "mouth"
• [d]. Lit "sounds"
• [e]. Lit "sounds"