The First Book of Samuel, otherwise called the First Book of the Kings
1 Samuel 12
Chapter XII · Vol. II, pp. 644–646
1 Samuel testifieth his integrity. 6 He reproveth the people of ingratitude. 18 He terrifieth them with thunder in harvest-time. 20 He comforteth them in God's mercy.
1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have ahearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
a ch.8.9,22; 10.1,24; 11.14,15.
2 And now, behold, the king bwalketh before you: and cI am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons1 are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
b Nu.27.16,17. ch.8.20.
c Ps.71.18. 2 Pe.1.14. 2 Ti.4.6.
1 This seems to intimate that he had deprived them of all public employment, and reduced them to a level with the common people. But while as a magistrate he abandons them to justice, as a father he tacitly but tenderly pleads for them.—J.
3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD,2 and before his anointed; dwhose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or eof whose hand have I received any bribe3 to blind mine eyes therewith?4 and I will restore it you.
2 This is one of the most splendid records of a statesman's retirement from office. He retires like the summer's sun with all his light around him. Others may, perhaps, have retired with as much honesty; but, alas! how few statesmen have lived or retired with his piety!—C.
d Nu.16.15. Re.14.5. 1 Th.2.10. Ac.23.1; 24.16. 2 Co.1.12. 1 Th.2.10.
e Ac.20.33. De.16.19. Is.33.15. ch.8.3.
3 Heb. ransom.
4 Or, that I should hide mine eyes at him.
4 And they said, fThou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
5 And he said unto them, gThe LORD is witness against you, and hhis anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD ithat advanced5 Moses and 6Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I kmay reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts7 of the LORD, which he did to you, and to8 your fathers.
8 Whenl Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
9 And mwhen they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
A.M. 2939 B.C. 1065
m Ju.iii. iv. x. xiii. De.32.15-25. Ne.9.26-30. Is.63.10. Eze.20.28?.
10 Andn they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 And the oLORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan,9 and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
o Ju.vi.-viii.; 10.3; xi. ch.vii.
9 No such name as Bedan occurs in Judges, therefore some have considered it a contraction for Ben-Dan, that is, the son of Dan—Samson. Some MSS. and translations, instead of Bedan read Barak; and some valuable early translations for Samuel read Samson. These changes are adopted by Houbigant; but we do not see sufficient authority for the adoption. C.—The Sept. Syriac, and Arabic versions have Barak instead of Bedan. The Hebrew scholar also knows that the two names closely resemble each other in the early Hebrew characters. I am therefore of opinion that Bedan is an error of a copyist.—P.
12 And pwhen ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was qyour king.1
p ch.xi. viii. Ho.13.10,11; 8.4. Ju.8.23.
q Nu.23.21. Ge.17.7. Ex.19.5,6. Is.33.22. Ps.74.12. Ho.13.10.
1 The proper idea of government is—God by his Spirit and law reigning in the conscience; and were all consciences enlightened by his Spirit, and amenable to his law, government would be perfect. The sin of Israel lay, not merely in desiring to change their government without consulting God, nor merely in their foolish desire to imitate the surrounding nations; but in their being seduced to substitute the will of a man for the will of God, and acknowledging it their duty to obey that will, though in opposition to the will of God.—C.
13 Now therefore rbehold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
14 Ifs ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment2 of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following3 the LORD your God.4
15 But tif ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.
17 Is it xnot wheat harvest to-day?5 I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see ythat your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.6
x Pr.26.1. Ps.99.6. Je.15.1. Ja.5.16-18.
5 Jerome and modern travellers concur in testifying that thunder and rain in wheat-harvest, the end of June and beginning of July, are totally unknown in Palestine. In high latitudes, where weather is very variable, it is only from travellers that we can learn the wonderful regularity of the seasons in tropical climates, or those approaching the tropic, as Palestine.—C.
y ch.8.7. Ho.13.10,11.
6 See note on ch.8.7.—C.
18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent zthunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly afeared the LORD and Samuel.
z Ezr.10.9,10. Ex.9.23.
a Ex.14.31; 4.31. Ps.106.12,13.
19 And ball the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.7
b Ps.78.34,35. Ju.10.10,15. Ex.9.28.
7 An ignorant and superstitious people—nay, idolatrous, as Israel still were—are always easily terrified with unusual occurrences; but they as easily forget their fears, and return to their sins.—Note, The miracle here lay not in the thunder and rain, however unprecedented, but in the divine foresight and prophecy of their coming.—C.
20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: (ye have done all this wickedness, cyet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
A.M. 2939 B.C. 1065
c Je.3.12-14,22. De.6.5; 10.12. Mat.22.37.
21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after dvain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain:)
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people efor his great name's sake; because it hath pleased the LORD fto make you his people.
23 Moreover, as for me, gGod forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing8 to pray for you: but I will hteach you the good and the right way:
24 Onlyi fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for kconsider how great9 things he hath done for you.
i Ec.12.10,13. Ps.34.8-13. De.6.13; 10.12.
k Ezr.9.13,14. Ps.105.1-45; lxxviii.
9 Heb. what a great thing, &c.
25 Butl if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
l Is.3.11. Le.26.14-39. De.28.15-68; 32.15-30; 4.26; 8.19,20; 30.17-19.
Notes
[Ver. 21. And turn ye not aside. There are certain erroneous and sinful contracts, that, when once entered into, cannot, without greater sin, be recalled or rescinded; and he that enters into such contract must bear the consequences—for the moral sanction may abide, binding to the contract, when the folly of the contract and the sin that led to it are clearly discovered. The Scripture rule then is—repent of the sin, but be faithful to the moral obligation. This principle may be exemplified in the promise of allegiance to an ill-arranged government, and in thoughtless contracts of marriage. C.]
Reflections.—To vindicate our character from calumny is a debt which we owe to God and to ourselves: and such as are conscious of their integrity will not fear the strictest scrutiny of their conduct. But it is the greatest comfort to have God the witness of our uprightness. To resign a station on account of age, with a conscience uncorrupted, and with a character which malice itself dares not to calumniate, is glorious indeed; yet good men scarcely ever leave either church or state in so good a condition as they would wish. Hence they are so earnest in God's work when he is taking it out of their hand: and it is honourable to die with a savoury testimony for God and his ways. But whatever changes take place on earth, it will always be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked. The careful remembrance of God's former mercies and judgments, and the observation of his awful providences, are both too little to make us active and constant in the service of God: and how terrible is the case of his enemies, who can arm all nature against them! How dangerous to have the prayers of his ministers turned against us! But for nations and churches to enjoy the fervent prayers and the faithful admonitions and encouragements of Jehovah's favourites, is one of the greatest mercies, and will be much prized by such as are truly penitent. Nor must any ill usage provoke them to give over; if they be faithful and compassionate to the death, whatever be their success, they have delivered their own soul. In kind affection God distributes his loving favours; and these, when enjoyed, should strongly animate us to faithfulness and constancy in his service. But no mercy in God, nor pleadings of his people, shall prevent the everlasting ruin of such as are obstinate in their wickedness.