1 Samuel 15:17

17 Und Samuel sprach: Wurdest du nicht, als du klein in deinen Augen warst, das Haupt der Stämme Israels? Und Jehova salbte dich zum König über Israel.

1 Samuel 15:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:17

And Samuel said, when thou [wast] little in thine own sight,
&c.] Humble and lowly, and had a mean opinion of himself, his family and tribe, and judged himself unworthy of the kingdom; see ( 1 Samuel 9:21 ) suggesting, that now he was proud and haughty, and would have his own will and way:

wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel;
not of his own tribe only, which was the least, but of all the tribes, and so they were all subject to him, and at his command:

and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel;
all which is observed, partly to point out unto him the high honour he was raised unto, from a low estate, which laid him under obligation to serve the Lord, and obey him; and partly as an answer to him, excusing himself, and laying the blame upon the people; whereas seeing he was made king over them, his business was to rule and govern them, guide and direct them in the right way, and restrain them from that which was evil; and since he was anointed by the Lord, and not by the people, he ought to have obeyed him, and not regarded the pleasure of them.

1 Samuel 15:17 In-Context

15 Und Saul sprach: Sie haben sie von den Amalekitern gebracht, weil das Volk das Beste vom Klein-und Rindvieh verschont hat, um Jehova, deinem Gott, zu opfern; aber das Übrige haben wir verbannt.

16 Da sprach Samuel zu Saul: Halt, daß ich dir kundtue, was Jehova diese Nacht zu mir geredet hat. Und er sprach zu ihm: Rede!

17 Und Samuel sprach: Wurdest du nicht, als du klein in deinen Augen warst, das Haupt der Stämme Israels? Und Jehova salbte dich zum König über Israel.

18 Und Jehova hat dich auf den Weg gesandt und gesagt: Ziehe hin und verbanne die Sünder, die Amalekiter, und streite wider sie, bis du sie vernichtest.

19 Warum hast du denn der Stimme Jehovas nicht gehorcht, und bist über die Beute hergefallen und hast getan, was böse ist in den Augen Jehovas?