1 Samuele 15:17

17 E Samuele disse: Non è egli così, che, quando tu ti sei reputato piccolo, tu sei stato costituito capo delle tribù d’Israele, e il Signore ti ha unto per re sopra Israele?

1 Samuele 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 Samuele 15:17 In-Context

15 E Saulle disse: Queste bestie sono state menate dal paese degli Amalechiti; perciocchè il popolo ha risparmiato il meglio delle pecore e de’ buoi, per farne sacrificio al Signore Iddio tuo; ma abbiamo distrutto il rimanente al modo dell’interdetto.

16 E Samuele disse a Saulle: Permetti che io ti dichiari ciò che il Signore mi ha detto questa notte. Ed egli gli disse: Parla pure.

17 E Samuele disse: Non è egli così, che, quando tu ti sei reputato piccolo, tu sei stato costituito capo delle tribù d’Israele, e il Signore ti ha unto per re sopra Israele?

18 Ora il Signore ti avea mandato a questa impresa, e ti avea detto: Va’, distruggi que’ peccatori, gli Amalechiti, e fa’ loro guerra finchè sieno consumati.

19 Perchè dunque non hai tu ubbidito alla voce del Signore? anzi ti sei rivolto alla preda, ed hai fatto ciò che dispiace al Signore?