1 Samuel 12: Samuel’s Speech- Paragraph One of Three
1 Now Samuel said to all Israel: “Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD (Yahweh) and before His anointed (Messiah): Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”4 And they said, “You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.” 5 Then he said to them, “The LORD (Yahweh) is witness against you, and His anointed (Messiah) is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”
“Samuel closed this solemn confirmation of Saul as king with an address to all Israel, in which he handed over the office of judge, which he hadhitherto filled, to the king, who had been appointed by God and joyfully recognized by the people.” (Keil & Delitzsch)
“And Samuel said unto all Israel, ‘Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me,’” etc. “Now you must hearken to my voice, and be told that after your peace offerings God hath still a quarrel with you, and you must be yet further humbled, or else your sin will find you out, your iniquity will be your ruin. Great sins must be greatly repented of: otherwise men shall find that God may be angry enough with them, though they outwardly prosper.” (John Trapp)— and I "have made a king over you. “ "His listening to the voice of the people was based on the repeated divine command and was an act of self-denying obedience to the will of God.” (Lange)— “And now here is the king, walking before you.”— “having charge of the entire government of the people in peace and in war.” (Paul E. Kretzmann) "Samuel pressed home, upon that dense mass of people, the sin of which they had been guilty in demanding a king instead of waiting for a heaven-sent deliverer.
But we are liable to the same mistake. We look to the visible and forget the invisible. We forget that the invisible Christ stands waiting to succor, prepared to save unto the uttermost. In this faith the Apostle found his abiding peace and steadfastness. See 2 Corinthians 1:10. Let us, also, ‘set our hope’ on Him who has delivered, and will deliver.” (F.B. Meyer)
Saul lays his life before the children of Israel. “I am old and grayheaded,” having had a long record first as priest and then as judge — "and look, my sons are with you.” He thus acknowledges their misconduct. “Samuel says, You know all about my sons; I do not profess to be ignorant that charges have been brought against them. Give full weight to them, and to everything said against them and me, and then give judgment.” (The Pulpit Commentaries) “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” (Ezek. 18:20)— “I have walked before you from my childhood to this day,” in public office, and therefore in the eye of the people since his infancy." (Kretzmann) — “Behold, here I am: witness against me before Yahweh, and before His anointed”— “Note that 12:3 gives the first instance of the use of the name ‘Messiah,’ and think of the contrast between Saul and Jesus” (A. MacLaren) — “Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
And they said, “You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.” Then he said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and His Messiah is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.’”— “he had given them no cause to weary of the divine government by judges, and that, therefore, the blame of desiring a change of government rested with themselves.” (Jameson, Faussett, Brown)
“It was well that the people could not condemn him, but Samuel was more highly gratified, that he had a record on high.
Reader! it is blessed, when in spiritual concerns we can appeal, like Paul, and say, 'God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit, in the gospel of his Son.' Romans 1:9.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)
Morning Repost: 1 Samuel 12: Samuel’s Speech- Paragraph Two of Three
6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers: 8 When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now the LORD deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
Having cleared himself, Samuel proceeds to clear Yahweh. He “had indeed at various periods punished them for their sins; but on their crying for pardon and deliverance, he had not only raised them up judges, but given them many miraculous victories.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)
“It is Yahweh"- known to His people by His covenant name- "who ‘raised up’ Moses and Aaron, “heb. that ‘made them’; not only made them men, but great men. See the like, Deuteronomy 32:6, Isaiah 43:7, Ephesians 2:10, Revelation 1:6.— ‘and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt [where they had experienced physical slavery]. Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers.’ Bustle not, bristle not, but suffer the words of reproof and admonition.” (Trapp)
1 Samuel 12:9-11 “form the great outlines of Israel's history, from the deliverance out of Egypt, to the hour of Samuel's address on this occasion. The design of this discourse was, to show God's unceasing goodness, and Israel's continual disobedience.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)—> After the physical deliverance, was a spiritual slavery: “v. 9. ‘And when they forgat the Lord, their God,’ in deliberate unfaithfulness and defection to the covenant, ‘He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, Jdg_4:2, and into the hand of the Philistines, Jdg_10:7; Jdg_13:1, and into the hand of the king of Moab, Jdg_3:12, and they fought against them.’ v. 10. And they cried unto the Lord and said, 'We have sinned because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth’ this had been their confession whenever they had come to the full realization of their helpless plight, as being due to their unfaithfulness, Jdg_10:10; ‘but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee.’ v. 11. ‘And the Lord sent Jerubbaal,’ that is, Gideon, Jdg_6:14-32, ‘and Bedan, or Barak, Jdg_4:6, and Jephthah, Jdg_11:1, and Samuel,’ for the speaker could well mention his own name, since he was conscious of his high mission as Judge and deliverer of his people, this fact being generally recognized in Israel, 1Sa_3:20, ‘and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe,’ they were living in quiet and security.” (The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann)
That brings us current. “And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ etc.” (12) The victory at Mizpeh, under king Saul, “was a most signal one, and fresh in their memory. Hence on seeing the preparations of Nahash, they should have cried again for divine aid, and not sought help in an arm of flesh by asking a king. This was plain talk. It was justifying the Lord, and accusing the people. It was a charge of unbelief, to which they could make no defence.” (Sutcliffe) “While stating that they had obtained the object of their ardent desire, he reminded them that 'Yahweh had set a king over them' - i:e., that he was, in the theocratic government of the Hebrews, the representative and vicegerent of Yahweh.“ (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown) “On condition that ye rebel no more, God will take you and your king under His merciful protection, and He and His kingdom shall be confirmed and continued.” (Clarke)
1 Samuel 12: Samuel’s Speech- Paragraph Three of Three
16 “Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes: 17 Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves.” 18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
“He had bidden them before ‘Stand and hear’, [1 Samuel 12:7] now, ‘Stand and see’: that both these two learned senses, as Aristotle calleth them, being affected together, they might be instructed.” (John Trapp)
“It was the time of the wheat harvest. Samuel prayed for a witness from heaven upon his words. Then it thundered and rained. It never thunders and rains in Palestine at that time of the year (May /June). “ (Arno Gaebelein) “‘And all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.’ They dreaded His terrible majesty; and they feared Samuel, perceiving that he had so much power with God.” (Adam Clarke)— power of life and death for both the natural and spiritual harvests of Israel.
19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.”
20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”
They requested intercession of the prophet. “Samuel then promised the people his constant intercession: ‘Far be it from me to sin against the LORD, that I should cease to pray for you, and to instruct you in the good and right way,’ i.e., to work as prophet for your good. ‘In this he sets a glorious example to all rulers, showing them that they should not be led astray by the ingratitude of their subordinates or subjects, and give up on that account all interest in their welfare, but should rather persevere all the more in their anxiety for them’ (Berleb. Bible).” (Keil & Delitzsch)
“When the heart is right with God, prayer arises like a fountain, from unseen depths.” (F. B. Meyer) “They only asked him to pray for them; but he promises to do more, to teach them.” (Matthew Henry)
As for their fear of Yahweh, this was a right and proper thing. And their very lives were in their own hands. “Yahweh will not forsake His people...’ etc. (22)—He will not as yet cast you off, though you have deserved it. His purpose in preserving them in their land and religion was not yet accomplished. [Yet eventually destruction would come to the temple at Jerusalem.] It was not however for their sake that He would not cast them off, but for His own great name's sake.” (Adam Clarke)
But they could forsake Him and not be considered as His people.— ‘But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.’ (25) — If ye do wickedly you shall be destroyed, your kingdom destroyed, and your king destroyed.” (Adam Clarke) “It explains why things happened as they did in Israel and in the personal lives of the major characters that the writer emphasized. God articulated these principles earlier in the Torah, but He repeated them here.” (Dr. Thomas Constable)
“Thus their responsibility towards God is still the same. They cannot hide behind their king. And with these exhortations, promises and pleas he relinquished his civic authority over them into the hands of Saul. From now on he would only have responsibility for their spiritual lives, and that only if they sought God with all their hearts.” (Peter Pett)