1 Samuel 12:1-11

Samuel Addresses Israel

1 Then Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, ¹I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me and I ²have appointed a king over you.

2 "Now, ³here is the king walking before you, but ⁴I am old and gray, and behold ⁵my sons are with you. And ⁶I have walked before you from my youth even to this day.

3 "Here I am; bear witness against me before the LORD and ⁷His anointed. ⁸Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or ⁹from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you."

4 They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand."

5 He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that ¹⁰you have found nothing * ¹¹in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."

6 Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who ¹²appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.

7 "So now, take your stand, ¹³that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did for you and your fathers.

8 "¹⁴When Jacob went into Egypt and ¹⁵your fathers cried out to the LORD, then ¹⁶the LORD sent Moses and Aaron ¹⁷who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 "But ¹⁸they forgot the LORD their God, so ¹⁹He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and ²⁰into the hand of the Philistines and ²¹into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10 "²²They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served ²³the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but ²⁴now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.'

11 "Then the LORD sent ²⁵Jerubbaal and ²⁶Bedan and ²⁷Jephthah and ²⁸Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all * around, so that you lived in security.

1 Samuel 12:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 12

In this chapter Samuel, resigning the government to Saul, asserts the integrity with which he had performed his office, and calls upon the people of Israel to attest it, who did, 1Sa 12:1-5, he then reminds them of the great and good things the Lord had done for them in times past, 1Sa 12:6-11 and whereas they had desired a king, and one was given them, it was their interest to fear and serve the Lord; if not, his hand would be against them, 1Sa 12:10-15 he terrifies them by calling for thunder in an unusual time, 1Sa 12:16-19 and then comforts and encourages them, that in doing their duty God would be with them, and not forsake them, otherwise they might expect nothing but ruin and destruction, 1Sa 12:20-25.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Sam 8:7, 9, 22
• 2. 1 Samuel 10:24; 1 Samuel 11:14, 15
• 3. 1 Samuel 8:20
• 4. 1 Samuel 8:1, 5
• 5. 1 Samuel 8:3, 5
• 6. 1 Sam 3:10, 19, 20
• 7. 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 24:6; 2 Samuel 1:14
• 8. Exodus 20:17; Numbers 16:15; Acts 20:33
• 9. Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19
• 10. Acts 23:9; Acts 24:20
• 11. Exodus 22:4
• 12. Exodus 6:26; Micah 6:4
• 13. Ezekiel 20:35; Micah 6:1-5
• 14. Genesis 46:5, 6
• 15. Exodus 2:23-25
• 16. Exodus 3:10; Exodus 4:14-16
• 17. 1 Samuel 10:18
• 18. Deuteronomy 32:18; Judges 3:7
• 19. Judges 4:2
• 20. Judges 3:31; Judges 10:7; Judges 13:1
• 21. Judges 3:12-30
• 22. Judges 10:10
• 23. Judges 2:13; Judges 3:7
• 24. Judges 10:15, 16
• 25. Judges 6:31, 32; Judges 7:1
• 26. Judges 4:6; Judges 11:1
• 27. Judges 11:29
• 28. 1 Samuel 3:20

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "made"
• [b]. Lit "made"
• [c]. Lit "and they brought"
• [d]. Gr and Syr read "Barak"