Shmuel Alef 12:12

12 And when ye saw that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a Melech shall reign over us: when Hashem Eloheichem was your Melech.

Shmuel Alef 12:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:12

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon
came against you
Or "but yet" F11; however, notwithstanding though the Lord had been so kind and gracious to them, as to raise up judges one after another to deliver them, when they cried unto him, yet when they perceived that Nahash the Ammonite was preparing to make war with them, instead of applying to the Lord for his protection, they desired to have a king to go before them, and fight their battles, as follows: nay,

but a king shall reign over us;
though Samuel told them they had no need of one:

when the Lord your God was your King;
and would protect and defend them, if they applied to him, and would put their trust in him; and he himself Samuel was their judge, and would be their general and commander, and they had experience of success under him to the utter destruction of their enemies, ( 1 Samuel 7:10 ) and yet, notwithstanding all this, they insisted upon it to have a king. According to Abarbinel, this preparation of Nahash to war with them was after they had asked for a king, and was a punishment of them for their request; and yet they repented not of it, but in effect said, though Nahash, and all the enemies in the world come against us, we will not go back from our request, but insist on it, that we have a king to reign over us; such was their obstinacy and perverseness.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (wartw) "videntes autem", V. L. "sed", Tigurine version; "et tamen", Vatablus, Piscator.

Shmuel Alef 12:12 In-Context

10 And they cried unto Hashem, and said, Chatanu (we have sinned), because we have forsaken Hashem, and have served Baalim and Ashtarot; but now deliver us out of the yad oyeveinu (power, hand of our enemies), and we will serve Thee.
11 And Hashem sent Yerubaal [Gideon], and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shmuel, and delivered you out of the yad oyeveichem on every side, and ye dwelled betach (in safety).
12 And when ye saw that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a Melech shall reign over us: when Hashem Eloheichem was your Melech.
13 Now therefore behold the Melech whom ye have chosen, and for whom ye have made request! And, hinei, Hashem hath set a Melech over you.
14 If ye will fear Hashem, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Hashem, then shall both ye and also the Melech that reigneth over you continue following after Hashem Eloheichem;
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.