God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 13:12
12So I thought, ‘Now, the Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, but I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ I felt pressured into sacrificing 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- 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.”
Context of 1 Samuel 13:12
10As he finished sacrificing the burnt offering, Samuel came, and Saul went to greet him. 11Samuel asked, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “I saw the troops were scattering. You didn’t come when you said you would, and the Philistines were assembling at Michmash. So I thought, ‘Now, the Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, but I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ I felt pressured into sacrificing the burnt offering.” 13“You did a foolish thing,” Samuel told Saul. “You didn’t follow the command of the Lord your God. ⌞If you had,⌟ the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel permanently. 14But now your kingdom will not last. The Lord has searched for a man after his own heart. The Lord has appointed him as ruler of his people, because you didn’t follow the command of the Lord.”
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 12:26He said to himself, “The kingdom will probably return to David’s dynasty now.
- 1 Samuel 21:7That same day one of Saul’s servants who was obligated to stay in the Lord’s presence was there. His name was Doeg. A foreman for Saul’s shepherds, he was from Edom.
- Psalms 66:3Say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your deeds! Your power is so great that your enemies will cringe in front of you.
- Amos 8:5You say to yourselves, “When will the New Moon Festival be over so that we can sell more grain? When will the day of rest—a holy day, be over so that we can sell more wheat? We can shrink the size of the bushel baskets, increase the cost, and cheat with dishonest scales.
- 2 Corinthians 9:7Each of you should give whatever you have decided. You shouldn’t be sorry that you gave or feel forced to give, since 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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