1 Samuel 12:15

15 But if you do not give ear to the voice of the Lord, but go against his orders, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and against your king for your destruction, as it was against your fathers.

1 Samuel 12:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:15

But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel
against the commandment of the Lord
They and their king, by sinning, disregarding his precepts, both affirmative and negative:

then shall the hand of the Lord be against you;
by sending some judgments upon them, as famine, sword, or pestilence, particularly captivity and subjection to their enemies:

as it was against your fathers;
who had no king; and it is suggested that their case, who had one, would be no better than theirs; their king would not be able to save them from the hand of God: the words in the original are, "and against your fathers" ^F13; which is interpreted in the Talmud ^F14 of their fathers dead, and in their graves, and of their enemies digging them up, and taking them out in contempt; but much better, by Kimchi, of their kings, who are, or should be, fathers of their subjects, as Augustus Caesar was called the father of his; and so the Septuagint version renders it, "and upon their king"; signifying that both they and their king should feel the weight of the hand of the Lord, if they rebelled against him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Mkytbabw) "et contra patres vestros", Pagninus, Tigurine version.
F14 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 63. 2.

1 Samuel 12:15 In-Context

13 Here, then, is the king marked out by you: the Lord has put a king over you.

14 If in the fear of the Lord you are his servants, hearing his voice and not going against the orders of the Lord, but being true to the Lord your God, you and the king ruling over you, then all will be well:

15 But if you do not give ear to the voice of the Lord, but go against his orders, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and against your king for your destruction, as it was against your fathers.

16 Now keep where you are and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.

17 Is it not now the time of the grain cutting? My cry will go up to the Lord and he will send thunder and rain: so that you may see and be conscious of your great sin which you have done in the eyes of the Lord in desiring a king for yourselves.