1 Samuel 12:21

21 "You must not turn aside, for then you would go after ¹futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.

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 the LORD your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king."

20 Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD , but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 "You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.

22 "For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.

23 "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 11:16; Isaiah 41:29; Habakkuk 2:18