1 Samuel 12:20

1 Samuel 12:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
• New International Version (NIV)“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of 1 Samuel 12:20

18So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.” “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty. 22Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

1 Samuel 12:20 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל־הָעָם֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אוּ אַתֶּ֣ם עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את אַ֗ךְ אַל־תָּס֙וּרוּ֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Do notאַל'al · notH408
• be afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• Samuelאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Samuelעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Even though youאַתֶּם'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.p.)H859
• have committedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
• thisאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• turn asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• from followingאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• but serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
• your heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 12:20

• Exodus 20:19“Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”
• 1 Peter 3:16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
• Deuteronomy 11:16But be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods,
• Deuteronomy 31:29For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn from the path I have commanded you. And in the days to come, disaster will befall you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger by the work of your hands.”
• Joshua 23:6Be very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.
• Psalms 40:4Blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
• Psalms 101:3I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
• Psalms 125:5But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.
• Jeremiah 3:1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers— and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 12:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Ye have done all this wickedness - That is, although ye have done all this wickedness: what was past God would pass by, provided they would be obedient in future.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-25Verses 16-25 At Samuel's word, God sent thunder and rain, at a season of the year when, in that country, the like was not seen. This was to convince them they had done wickedly in asking a king; not only by its coming at an unusual time, in wheat harvest, and on a clear day, but by the prophet's giving notice of it before. He showed their folly in desiring a king to save them, rather than God, or Samuel; promising themselves more from an arm of flesh…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-25In 1 Samuel 12:1–5, Samuel examined himself and was found innocent. In 1 Samuel 12:6–25, he examined the nation and found it guilty.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2517-25. Is it not wheat harvest to-day?--That season in Palestine occurs at the end of June or beginning of July, when it seldom or never rains, and the sky is serene and cloudless. There could not, therefore, have been a stronger or more appropriate proof of a divine mission than the phenomenon of rain and thunder happening, without any prognostics of its approach, upon the prediction of a person professing himself to be a prophet of the Lord, and giving…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 12:20

• Decision
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• Samuel
• Reason
• Samuel, Books of
• Judges, Period of
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings