1 Samuel 12:21

21 And do not turn aside after the triviality, which have no value and cannot deliver, for they are triviality.

1 Samuel 12:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:21

And turn ye not aside
From his worship: for then; if they turned aside from that:

should ye go after vain things;
idols, which are vanity, and less than vanity:

which cannot profit nor deliver;
neither bestow good things on their votaries, nor deliver them from evils, or from the hands of their enemies

for they are vain;
empty, useless, and unprofitable; an idol is nothing in the world, ( 1 Corinthians 8:4 ) .

1 Samuel 12:21 In-Context

19 Then all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God so that we will not die, because we have added to all our sins by requesting a king for ourselves."

20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear! You have done all this evil; only do not turn aside from {following} Yahweh. But you must serve Yahweh with all your heart.

21 And do not turn aside after the triviality, which have no value and cannot deliver, for they are triviality.

22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name, because Yahweh has decided to make you his [own] people.

23 Also, as for me, far be it from me {that I should sin} against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the good and righteous way.

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, the triviality of lifeless idols. The same Hebrew word, tohu, is used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the pre-created state of the earth.