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1 Samuel 12:21

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21 And 1do not turn aside after 2empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.
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1 Samuel 12:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:21

And turn ye not aside
From his worship: for then; if they turned aside from that:

should ye go after vain things;
idols, which are vanity, and less than vanity:

which cannot profit nor deliver;
neither bestow good things on their votaries, nor deliver them from evils, or from the hands of their enemies

for they are vain;
empty, useless, and unprofitable; an idol is nothing in the world, ( 1 Corinthians 8:4 ) .

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

1 Samuel 12:21 In-Context

19 And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king."
20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Cross References 2

  • 1. [See ver. 20 above]
  • 2. Jeremiah 16:19; Habakkuk 2:18; [1 Corinthians 8:4]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.