1 Samuel 12

After that Samuel had appointed a King unto the people, v.1, &c. he rehearseth how he himself had reigned, 2.and requireth witness thereof, 3. Which the people do give him, 4. Samuel seeteth before the eyes of the people the sinne they had committed in rejecting the Lord, and asking a King, 7. But he comforteth them again if they should obey the Lord, 14. And threatneth them, if they obey him not, 15. By an unexpected token he so terrifieth them, 16. That they acknowledging and confessing their offence, desire to be reconciled to the Lord, 19. Samuel comforteth the people, 20. Promising likewise to pray for them, 23. Exhorting them again to fear and serve the Lord, 24.

1. Then Samuel said unto all Israel, [viz. At Gilgal, where he had installed the King] Behold, I have hearkened to your voice, in all that ye said unto me, and I have set a King over you.

2. And now, behold, there the King goeth along before your face [i.e. He is invested in his office to go before you into the battel, and go govern you] and I am grown old and gray, and behold, my sons are with you; [i.e. They dwell and converse among you, no more as Governours, but as citizens and private persons, out of all office and place of the Government, make use of their further service it pleaseth you] and I have walked before your faces from my youth unto this day.

3. Behold, (here) I am witness against me before the LORD, and before this Anointed, [viz. King Saul, whom I by the command of the Lord have anointed to be King over you; so also below ver.5. and below chap.24.7.] whose oxe I have taken, and whose asse I have taken, and whom I have wronged, whom I have oppressed, [viz. by false and slanderous speeches, or by ill managing of affairs] and of whose hand I have taken a bribe [Heb. An expiation; that is, a gift, whereby the offender reconcileth himself to the angry Judge, and purchaseth his favour] that I should not have seen his offence, to punish the same according to its demerit: Or, in this sense, that I must needs have blushed, and durst not look him in the face, when he should have witnessed me in the teeth, that I took bribes of him. Oth. Yea, I have bid mine eyes before, or, against it, or, therefore should have hidden.] and I will restore it unto you.

4. Then they said: Thou hast not wronged us, neither hast thou oppressed us, nor hast thou taken anything of any mans hand.

5. Then he said unto them, The LORD be a witnesse against you, and his Anointed be witnesse this day, that ye have not found (ought) in mine hand, [viz. That I have taken to wrest or pervert the law, or judgment: or, which might be reputed to me for shame and disgrace] and the people said, he be witness.

6. Furthermore, Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that made Moseh and Aaron, [i.e. That made them great and honourable; viz. the one to be a Leader and Governour of his people, and the other to be an High-Priest] and that brought up your Fathers out of the Land of Egypt.

7. And now set you selves (here), that I may reason with you before the face of the LORD, about all the righteousnesses [Understand by this word as well promises and mercies, as threatnings and judgments. Hereby intimating unto the people, that the Lord had in all his works manifested and declared himself to be a righteous God, as well in bestowing his mercies, as in inflicting Judgments upon them, when they departed from him. Compare Judg.5.11. Mich.6.5. with the annotate.] of the LORD, which he did to you, and to your Fathers.

8. After that Jacob was come into Egypt: your Fathers cried unto the LORD, [Samuel conjoyneth here together, that which hapned or followed many years after. For the Israelites did not cry nor complain unto the Lord, when they at first came with Jacob into Egypt, but a good while after, when there arose a King that imposed hard and grievous bondage upon them: see Exod.1. vers.13,14. & 2.23,24, &c.] and the LORD sent Moseh and Aaron, and they led your Fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. [viz. on this and the other side of Hordan, in the land of Canaan: Moseh placed them in the Kingdom of Amorites, but Josua in the land of Canaan]

9. But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the Captain of the Host at Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the King of the Moabites [Called Eglon, Judg.3.12.] who fought against them.

10. And they cried unto the LORD, and said; We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and served the Baalims, and the Astharets: and now, rescue us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11. And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, [i.e. Gideon; why he was named Jeribbaal, see Judg.6. verse 32.] and Bedan, [otherwise, called Jair, as some conceive, a Gileadire, Judg.10.3. It may be that Judge Jair was also called Bedan, to difference or distinguish him from another Jair, that lived in the time of Moseh, of whom we read, Numb.32. ver.41. The rather, because I Chron.7.17. mention is made of one Bedan among the children of Machir, the father of Gilead. Others take Bedan for Simson, because he was of the tribe of Dan. Others for Abdon, because the names seem to agree, Judg.12.13.] and Jephtah, and Samuel, and be rescued you out if the hand of your enemies round about, so that ye dwelled safe.

12. Now when ye saw that Nahaz the King of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a King shall reign over us: when as the LORD your God was your King.

13. And now, behold there the King whom ye have chosen, [viz. After that the lot was drawn before the Lord above chap.10.10.] whom ye desired: and behold, the LORD hath set a King over you. [to wit, when he granted you your desire, although it was evil, and mixed with great unthankfulness.]

14. If ye shall fear the LORD, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and rebell not against the mouth of the LORD: then shall ye, as well ye, as the King that shall reign over you, be after the LORD your God. [As if he should say, the Lord shall go before you, he shall lead and direct you, defend and protect you. Oth. ye shall follow him.]

15. But if ye shall not hearken to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the mouth of the LORD: then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as against your Fathers. [Oth. and against your Fathers. i.e. Kings, or fatherly houses.]

16. Now also set your selves (here), [i.e.Pause a while, have a little patience, that ye may see and hear what the Lord will do] and see the great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes.

17. Is it not wheat harvest to day? [as if he should say, Is it not now a fair and bright day, as the days are wont to be in Wheat harvest? At which times no rain was wont to fall, Prov.26.1. Ye see now no sign of any approaching tempest, yet ye shall see me obtain both rain and thunder of God by my prayer] I will call unto the LORD, and he shall give thunder and rain: therefore know ye, and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done before the eyes of the LORD, (in) that ye have asked for you a King.

18. When Samuel called on the LORD, the LORD gave thunder and rain that day: therefore all the people feared the LORD greatly, and Samuel.

19. And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants [i.e. For us] unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for above all our sins, we have added thereunto this evil, that we have asked for us a King.

20. Then said Samuel unto the people, Fear not ye have done all this wickedness; yet depart not from after the LORD, [i.e. From following after him; as if he should say, Although ye have committed so much wickedness, yet not withstanding he will be gracious unto you, if ye cease from sinning] but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21. And back-slide not: [To wit, from the Lord] for then ye should (follow) after vanities, [i.e. Idols, which are called vanities, because the idol is nothing in the world; i.e. they have nothing divine in them, as Paul saith, I Cor.8.4. or because they are not profitable, as Samuel her affirmeth: or because they are nothing else but the work of mens hands, Lev.19.4. Psal.115.4. or because they stir up and incite men to vanities and lies] which are not profitable, neither do deliver, for they are vanities.

22. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great Names sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you a people unto him.

23. Also what concerneth me, far be it from me, that I should sinne against the LORD, that I should cease to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and right way. [To wit, as becometh a Prophet and Teacher called of God; see I Cor.9.16.]

24. Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart: for consider what great things he hath done among you.

25. But if ye hence forward do evil, [Heb. Doing evil do evil] ye shall perish, as also your King.