1 Samuel 12:3

3 Ahora testifiquen contra mí en presencia del Señor
y ante su ungido. ¿A quién le he robado un buey o un burro? ¿Alguna vez he estafado a alguno de ustedes? ¿Alguna vez los he oprimido? ¿Alguna vez he aceptado soborno o he pervertido la justicia? Díganmelo y corregiré cualquier cosa incorrecta que haya hecho.

1 Samuel 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:3

Behold, here I am
No longer the supreme governor, but a subject, and accountable for any misdemeanour charged upon me, and to which I am ready to give answer, being now at your bar to be tried and judged before you:

witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed;
signifying, that if they had anything to lay to his charge, that they would produce it, and give proof and evidence of it in the presence of God, in whose name they met, and of Saul, anointed king, and supreme judge and ruler of the nation:

whose ox have I taken?
by force to employ in his own service in ploughing his ground, or treading out his corn:

or whose ass have I taken?
to ride about on in his circuit, or to carry any burden for him:

or whom have I defrauded?
of their money or goods, by any artifice circumventing and cheating them:

whom have I oppressed?
struck, beaten, broken, or caused to be so used wrongfully; to whose person have I been injurious any more than to their property? Some derive the word from a root which signifies favour and goodwill, and interpret it as some of the Rabbins do, of his not taking money of persons with their goodwill; or rather, that he had done nothing as a judge for favour and affection, but had acted the upright part, without regard to rich or poor, friends or foes:

or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes
therewith?
his meaning is, that he had never taken a gift or present from any person to favour his cause, that was to be brought before him, and give it for him right or wrong; to connive at any injury he had done, or to turn away his eyes from seeing where the justice of the cause lay; or that he had not received money to spare the life of a criminal that deserved to die; for the word used for a bribe signifies a ransom price, see ( Deuteronomy 16:19 )

and I will restore it to you;
the ox or ass, money or goods, gifts and presents, or bribes taken, or make compensation for any injury done to the persons or estates of men. Some render it, "I will answer you" ^F6, or give in an answer to any such charges when exhibited.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (Mkl byva) "respondebo vobis", Munster.

1 Samuel 12:3 In-Context

1 Discurso de despedida de Samuel
Entonces Samuel se dirigió a todo Israel:
—He hecho lo que me han pedido y les he dado un rey.

2 Ahora el rey es su líder. Estoy aquí delante de ustedes —un hombre ya viejo y canoso— y mis hijos les sirven. He sido su líder desde mi niñez hasta el día de hoy.

3 Ahora testifiquen contra mí en presencia del Señor
y ante su ungido. ¿A quién le he robado un buey o un burro? ¿Alguna vez he estafado a alguno de ustedes? ¿Alguna vez los he oprimido? ¿Alguna vez he aceptado soborno o he pervertido la justicia? Díganmelo y corregiré cualquier cosa incorrecta que haya hecho.

4 —No —le contestaron ellos—, nunca nos has engañado ni oprimido y nunca has aceptado soborno alguno.

5 —El Señor
y su ungido son mis testigos hoy —declaró Samuel— de que mis manos están limpias.
—Sí, él es nuestro testigo —respondieron.