1 Samuel 12:21

21 and do not ye bow after vain things, that shall not profit you, neither they shall deliver you; for those be vain things. (and do not ye worship false gods, that shall not profit you, nor can they save you; for they be false gods.)

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 and all the people said to Samuel, Pray thou for thy servants to thy Lord God, that we die not; for we [have] added evil to all our sins, that we ask a king to us. (and all the people said to Samuel, Pray thou for thy servants to the Lord thy God, so that we shall not die; for we have added this evil to all our sins, that we asked for a king over us.)

20 And Samuel said to the people, Dread ye not; ye have done all this evil; nevertheless go ye not away from (following) the back of the Lord, but serve ye the Lord in all your heart (but serve ye the Lord with all your heart);

21 and do not ye bow after vain things, that shall not profit you, neither they shall deliver you; for those be vain things. (and do not ye worship false gods, that shall not profit you, nor can they save you; for they be false gods.)

22 And then the Lord shall not forsake his people for his great name; for the Lord hath sworn to make you a people to himself. (And then the Lord shall not forsake his people for the sake of his great name; for the Lord hath sworn to make you his own people.)

23 And this sin be far from me against the Lord, that I cease to pray for you; and I shall teach you a rightful way and a good. (And let this sin against the Lord be far from me, that I would ever cease to pray for you; yea, indeed, I shall teach you the good and the right way.)