English Standard Version
1 Samuel 13:12
12I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering."
1 Samuel 13:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
- New International Version (NIV)I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
Context of 1 Samuel 13:12
10As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." 13And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
Read all of 1 Samuel 131 Samuel 13:12 word by word
וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֠תָּה יֵרְד֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֵלַי֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֣א חִלִּ֑יתִי וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔ק וָאַעֲלֶ֖ה הָעֹלָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I, The Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- will come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- now upon me to Gilgalגִּלְגָּלgilgâl · GilgalH1537
- and I have not made supplicationחָלָהchâlâh · to begH2470
- untoפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I forcedאָפַק'âphaq · to refrainH662
- myself therefore, and offeredעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- a burnt offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 13:12
- 1 Kings 12:26And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David.
- 1 Samuel 21:7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.
- Psalms 66:3Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
- Amos 8:5saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances,
- 2 Corinthians 9:7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 13:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12I forced myself - It was with great reluctance that I did what I did. In all this Saul was sincere, but he was rash, and regardless of the precept of the Lord, which precept or command he most evidently had received, 1 Samuel 13:13. And one part of this precept was, that the Lord should tell him what he should do. Without this information, in an affair under the immediate cognizance of God, he should have taken no step.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 Saul broke the order expressly given by Samuel, see ch. 1Sa 10:8, as to what should be done in cases of extremity. Saul offered sacrifice without Samuel, and did it himself, though he was neither priest nor prophet. When charged with disobedience, he justified himself in what he had done, and gave no sign of repentance for it. He would have this act of disobedience pass for an instance of his prudence, and as a proof of his piety. Men…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12sought the favor of the LORD: The burnt offering aimed to ask God for victory in battle. Samuel had offered a similar sacrifice, which led to victory (see 1 Samuel 7:7–11). But Samuel, unlike Saul, served in a priestly role.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-149-14. Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings--Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God. He did not understand his proper position as king of Israel; and although aware of the restrictions under which he held the sovereignty, he wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things. This occasion…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 13:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 13
- 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
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