1 Samuel 12:18

18 Samuel prayed to God, and God sent thunder and rain that same day. The people were greatly afraid and in awe of God and of Samuel.

1 Samuel 12:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:18

So Samuel called unto the Lord
Not in an authoritative way, or by way of command, but by prayer; so the Targum renders the clause in the preceding verse,

``I will pray before the Lord:''

and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day;
immediately, though there was no appearance of it; it was harvest time, and a fine harvest day. Josephus says ^F16 he sent thunder, lightning, and hail, a terrible storm and tempest it was:

and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel;
the Lord that sent this tempest, and Samuel who had such power with God in prayer. Clement of Alexandria ^F17 thinks that from hence the Greeks borrowed their fable concerning Aeacus invoking God, when there was a drought in Greece; and as soon as he prayed, immediately there was thunder, and the whole air was covered with clouds; but perhaps they rather framed it from the instance of Elijah praying for rain ^F18, at whose request it came, ( 1 Kings 18:42-45 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 5. sect. 6.
F17 Stromat. l. 6. p. 630.
F18 Vid. Schmid. in Pindar. Nemea, Ode 5. p. 110.

1 Samuel 12:18 In-Context

16 "Pay attention! Watch this wonder that God is going to perform before you now!

17 It's summer, as you well know, and the rainy season is over. But I'm going to pray to God. He'll send thunder and rain, a sign to convince you of the great wrong you have done to God by asking for a king."

18 Samuel prayed to God, and God sent thunder and rain that same day. The people were greatly afraid and in awe of God and of Samuel.

19 Then all the people begged Samuel, "Pray to your God for us, your servants. Pray that we won't die! On top of all our other sins, we've piled on one more - asking for a king!"

20 Samuel said to them, "Don't be fearful. It's true that you have done something very wrong. All the same, don't turn your back on God. Worship and serve him heart and soul!