1 Samuel 12:8

8 1When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them,[a]2then your fathers cried out to the LORD and 3the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, 4who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.

1 Samuel 12:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:8

When Jacob was come into Egypt
With his family to see his son Joseph, and dwelt there; or rather the posterity of Jacob are meant, who settled in Egypt, and continued there many years, and at length were oppressed by the Egyptians, and brought into hard bondage:

and your fathers cried unto the Lord;
by reason of their bondage, for help and deliverance:

then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers
out of Egypt;
after various messages carried by them from the Lord to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and after many signs and wonders wrought by them, by which the heart of that king was at last brought to consent to their dismission:

and made them dwell in this place;
the land of Canaan; they conducted them through the Red sea, guided them through the wilderness, and accompanied them, especially Moses, to the borders of the land of Canaan; for neither of them went into it, but died before the people's entrance there. Joshua, the successor of Moses, of whom Samuel makes no mention, introduced Israel into it, conquered the land for them, and settled them in it; though Moses and Aaron, as they were the instruments of bringing them out of Egypt, were the cause, by conducting them through the wilderness, and by their prayers, counsels, and instructions, of their entrance into and settlement in it: besides, Moses appointed Joshua in his stead, and ordered him to lead the people there, and directed to the division of the land among them, yea, two tribes and an half were settled by him on the other side Jordan; the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read in the singular number, "he made them dwell, that is, the Lord".

1 Samuel 12:8 In-Context

6 And Samuel said to the people, "The LORD is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous deeds of the LORD that he performed for you and for your fathers.
8 When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them,then your fathers cried out to the LORD and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.
9 But they forgot the LORD their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor,and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them.
10 And they cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.'

Cross References 4

  • 1. Genesis 46:5, 6
  • 2. Exodus 2:23
  • 3. Exodus 3:10; Exodus 4:14-16
  • 4. [1 Samuel 10:18]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Septuagint; Hebrew lacks and the Egyptians oppressed them
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.