1 Samuel 12:18

18 So Samuel made prayer to the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people were in fear of the Lord and of Samuel.

1 Samuel 12:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:18

So Samuel called unto the Lord
Not in an authoritative way, or by way of command, but by prayer; so the Targum renders the clause in the preceding verse,

``I will pray before the Lord:''

and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day;
immediately, though there was no appearance of it; it was harvest time, and a fine harvest day. Josephus says ^F16 he sent thunder, lightning, and hail, a terrible storm and tempest it was:

and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel;
the Lord that sent this tempest, and Samuel who had such power with God in prayer. Clement of Alexandria ^F17 thinks that from hence the Greeks borrowed their fable concerning Aeacus invoking God, when there was a drought in Greece; and as soon as he prayed, immediately there was thunder, and the whole air was covered with clouds; but perhaps they rather framed it from the instance of Elijah praying for rain ^F18, at whose request it came, ( 1 Kings 18:42-45 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5. sect. 6.
F17 Stromat. l. 6. p. 630.
F18 Vid. Schmid. in Pindar. Nemea, Ode 5. p. 110.

1 Samuel 12:18 In-Context

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.

18 So Samuel made prayer to the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people were in fear of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 And all the people said to Samuel, Make prayer for us to the Lord your God so that death may not overtake us: for in addition to all our sins we have done this evil, in desiring a king.

20 Then Samuel said to the people, Have no fear: truly you have done evil, but do not be turned away from the Lord; be his servants with all your heart;