Kings I 12:20

20 And Samuel said to the people, Fear not: ye have wrought all this iniquity; only turn not from following the Lord, and serve the Lord with all your heart.

Kings I 12:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:20

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was
come again
Out of Egypt; the chief men knew of it before, for he had headed them in their approach and address to Rehoboam; but the people in common had not, and especially those of the various tribes besides that of Ephraim:

that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king
over all Israel;
they sent for him from his tent or house, which probably was in Shechem, and gave him an invitation to come to their assembly, met together to deliberate about a king; when they unanimously chose him to be king over Israel, that is, over the ten tribes, and inaugurated him into his office:

there was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah
only;
in which Benjamin was included, as appears from the following verse; that being joined to it, and mixed with it, and both having a part in Jerusalem, and so ever after the kingdom was denominated the kingdom of Judah.

Kings I 12:20 In-Context

18 And Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunders and rain in that day; and all the people feared greatly the Lord and Samuel.

19 And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, and let us not die; for we have added to all our sins this iniquity, in asking for us a king.

20 And Samuel said to the people, Fear not: ye have wrought all this iniquity; only turn not from following the Lord, and serve the Lord with all your heart.

21 And turn not aside after the that are nothing, who will do nothing, and will not deliver , because they are nothing.

22 For the Lord will not cast off his people for his great name's sake, because the Lord graciously took you to himself for a people.