1 Samuel 12

1 Then Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] said to all [every single one of] Israel, “I have listened [hearkened, paid attention] to your voice [sound, spoken words] in all [everything, every matter] that you have said [spoken, commanded] to me, and I have set [appointed, made to reign] over you a king [ruler, monarch, one with royal authority]. word study 2 Now [at this time, in this present moment] here is the king [the ruler, the monarch] walking [leading, guiding] before you, and I am old [aged, advanced in years] and gray [gray-headed, having a head of gray hair], and my sons [my children, my descendants] are here with you [in your presence, among you]. I have walked [lived, journeyed] before you from my youth [my early years, my childhood] until this day [this present time, today]. word study 3 Here I am [before you, ready to account]. Bear witness against me before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and before His anointed [Messiah, the chosen king]: Whose ox [cattle, livestock] or donkey [a beast of burden] have I taken [seized, acquired unjustly]? Whom have I cheated [defrauded, wronged] or oppressed [crushed, mistreated]? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe [ransom, payment to pervert justice] and closed my eyes [concealed, ignored the truth]? Tell me, and I will restore [return, give back] it to you.” word study 4 “You have [not in any way, never] not wronged us or [defrauded, oppressed] oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken [received] anything [anything at all, no matter how small] from the hand [power, direction] of man [a person, individual, male or female].” word study 5 Samuel said to them, “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is a witness [testifying against you] against you, and His anointed [Messiah, the chosen one] is a witness [bearing testimony] today [in this present time], that you have not found [discovered or attained] anything [something, no matter how small] in my hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share].” “He is a witness [affirming the truth],” they replied. word study 6 Then Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] said to the people, “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is the One who appointed [made, established] Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the first high priest], and who brought [led, guided] your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] up out of the land [country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 7 Now [at this moment, in this present time] present [stand, station] yourselves, so that I may confront [reason with, plead with] you before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] with [concerning, regarding] all [every, the entirety of] the righteous acts [virtues, justice, morality] He has done [performed, accomplished] for you and your fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 8 When Jacob [the father of the Israelites] went to Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], your fathers [ancestors, patriarchs] cried out [with a loud voice, in distress] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and He sent them Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] and Aaron [the first high priest], who brought your fathers out of Egypt [from bondage, slavery] and settled them in this place [a land of promise, Canaan]. word study 9 But they forgot [were false to, forsook] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] their God [Elohim, the one supreme God], and He sold [delivered, abandoned] them into the hand [power, direction] of Sisera [captain] the commander of the army [a large group, campaign] of Hazor [a significant city, stronghold], and into the hands [power, control] of the Philistines [immigrants, non-Israelites] and the king [ruler, monarch] of Moab [a land, descendants of Lot], who fought [warred, battled] against them. word study 10 Then they cried out [to cry for help, to announce publicly] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and said, ‘We have sinned [to miss the mark, to go wrong], for we have forsaken [to loosen, to relinquish] the LORD and served [to work, to be in bondage to] the Baals [false gods, idols] and Ashtoreths [Sidonian deities, star goddesses]. Now [at this time, in this moment] deliver us from the hands [power, direction] of our enemies [those who hate or oppose us], that we may serve [to work, to worship] You.’ word study 11 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sent Jerubbaal [Gideon, a judge who destroyed an altar], Barak [a judge who lived before the monarchy], Jephthah [who defeated the Ammonites], and Samuel [a judge and prophet of Israel], and He delivered [rescued, snatched away from danger] you from the hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of your enemies [those who hate or oppose] on every side [surrounding, encompassing], and you dwelt [sat, remained, abided] securely [in safety, refuge, with a feeling of protection]. word study 12 But when you saw [perceived, became aware] that Nahash [a non-Israelite king] king of the Ammonites [a nation descended from Lot] was moving [coming, approaching] against you, you said to me, ‘No [not in this way], we must have a king [a ruler, a monarch] to rule [reign, govern] over us’—even though the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] was your king [ruler, sovereign]. word study 13 Now [at this time, in this moment] here is the king [royal ruler, monarch] you have chosen [selected, picked out], the one you requested [asked for, desired]. Behold [look, see], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has placed [set, given] a king [ruler, sovereign] over you [upon your nation, as your leader]. word study 14 If you [reverently] fear the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and serve Him [as a slave or bondservant] and obey [listen and respond to] His voice, and if you do not rebel [resist or disobey] against the command [instruction or decree] of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns [rules or has dominion] over you follow [walk after or pursue] the LORD your God, then all will be well [peaceful and prosperous, blessed]. word study 15 But if you [refuse to obey, will not hearken] disobey the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and rebel [resist, disobey authority] against His command [voice, word], then the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of the LORD will be against you [as an enemy, in opposition] as it was against your fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 16 Now [at this moment, in this present time], therefore, stand [present yourselves, be stationary] and see [look, gaze, perceive] this great [large, mighty, powerful] thing [event, matter, circumstance] that the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] will do [accomplish, perform, bring about] before your eyes [in your sight, within your view]. word study 17 Is it not [the time of] the wheat [barley] harvest today [in this season]? I will call [cry out, invoke] on the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] to send [bring forth, give] thunder [voices, sounds] and rain [showers, downpours], so that you will know [perceive, understand] and see [behold, recognize] what a great [abundant, numerous] evil [wickedness, wrongdoing] you have committed [done, made] in the sight [presence, eyes] of the LORD [Yehovah, the all-seeing God] by asking [requesting, seeking] for a king [ruler, leader].” word study 18 So Samuel [the prophet and judge] called to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and on that day [a period of 24 hours, a specific point in time] the LORD [the supreme God, Elohim] sent [gave, brought forth] thunder [a loud rumbling sound] and rain [water falling from the sky]. As a result [because of this event], all [everything, the entire nation] the people [the nation of Israel, a group of individuals] greatly [exceedingly, to a high degree] feared [stood in awe, revered] the LORD [the one true God] and Samuel [the leader, the prophet]. word study 19 They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray [intercede, make petition] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme deity] for your servants [those who serve, attend] so that we will not die [perish, come to an end]! For we have added [increased, accumulated] to all our sins [transgressions, rebellions] the evil [bad, wickedness] of asking [requesting, seeking] for a king [ruler, monarch].” word study 20 “Do not be afraid [fear not, have no fear],” Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] replied. “Even though you have committed [done, made] all this evil [wickedness, bad], do not turn aside [depart, remove] from following [after, behind] the LORD [Yehovah], but serve [work, worship] the LORD [Yehovah] with all [everything, your whole] your heart [innermost being, mind, will, and emotions]. word study 21 Do not [under no circumstances] turn aside [depart from the right path] after worthless things [vain, empty, or false idols] that cannot profit [benefit or gain] you or deliver [rescue or save] you, for they are [inherently] empty [without value or substance]. word study 22 Indeed, for the sake [because of, on account of] of His great [exalted, magnificent] name, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will not abandon [forsake, leave] His people [nation, community], because He was pleased [willing, happy] to make you [to claim you as His own, to form you into a people] His own [a people unto Himself, His special possession]. word study 23 As for me [also, even I], far be it from me [God forbid, may it not be] that I should sin [miss the mark, go wrong] against the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] by ceasing [stopping, ending] to pray [intercede, make petition] for you. And I will continue [go on, instruct] to teach [show, point out] you the good [pleasant, beneficial] and right [straight, just] way [path, manner of life]. word study 24 Above all [in every way, supremely], fear [revere, stand in awe of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and serve [worship, obey] Him faithfully [in truth, with sincerity] with all [every part of] your heart [innermost being, mind, will, and emotions]; consider [reflect on, think about] what great [mighty, magnificent] things He has done [accomplished, brought about] for you. word study 25 But if you persist [continue, still do] in doing evil [wickedly, being bad], both [also, even] you and your king [ruler, monarch] will be swept away [consumed, destroyed, snatched].” word study