1 Samuel 12:3

1 Samuel 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
• New International Version (NIV)Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: 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.”

Context of 1 Samuel 12:3

1Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice for all that you said to me, and I have appointed a king over you. 2Now, here is the king walking before you, but as for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. And I have walked before you since my youth to this day. Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to close my eyes with it? I will return it to you.” 4And they said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us, or taken anything from anyone’s hand.” 5So he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”

1 Samuel 12:3 word by word

הִנְנִ֣י עֲנ֣וּ בִי֩ נֶ֨גֶד יְהוָ֜ה וְנֶ֣גֶד מְשִׁיח֗וֹ אֶת־שׁוֹר֩׀ מִ֨י לָקַ֜חְתִּי וַחֲמ֧וֹר מִ֣י לָקַ֗חְתִּי וְאֶת־מִ֤י עָשַׁ֙קְתִּי֙ אֶת־מִ֣י רַצּ֔וֹתִי וּמִיַּד־מִי֙ לָקַ֣חְתִּי כֹ֔פֶר וְאַעְלִ֥ים עֵינַ֖י בּ֑וֹ וְאָשִׁ֖יב לָכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Hereהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• I am; testifyעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• against me beforeנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• His anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
• Whoseמִיmîy · who?H4310
• oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• have I takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• donkeyחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• have I exploitedעָשַׁק‛âshaq · to oppressH6231
• have I oppressedרָצַץrâtsats · to crushH7533
• handיָדyâd · handH3027
• a bribeכֹּפֶרkôpher · ransomH3724
• to closeעָלַם‛âlam · to concealH5956
• my eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• with it? I will returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 12:3

• 1 Samuel 12:5So he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”
• 1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has the Lord not anointed you as ruler over His inheritance?
• 1 Samuel 24:6So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I would do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”
• 2 Samuel 1:14And David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to reach out with your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
• Matthew 22:21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”
• Romans 13:1Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
• Numbers 16:15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Pay no attention to their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.”
• Acts 20:33I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.
• 2 Corinthians 12:14Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:5For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is our witness--
• 1 Peter 5:2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness;
• Exodus 23:8“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.
• Deuteronomy 16:19You shall not distort justice, you shall not show partiality; and you shall not accept a bribe, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and distorts the words of the righteous.
• Exodus 22:4If what he stole is actually found alive in his possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
• Leviticus 6:4then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or acquired by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him, or the lost property which he found,
• Luke 19:8But Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am giving back four times as much.”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Witness against me - Did ever a minister of state, in any part of the world, resign his office with so much self-consciousness of integrity, backed with the universal approbation of the public? No man was oppressed under his government, no man defrauded! He had accumulated no riches for himself; he had procured none for his friends; nor had one needy dependant been provided for out of the public purse. He might have pardoned his own sons, who had acted…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3His anointed - i. e., king Saul. The title Messiah, ̀ Christos unctus, or anointed, had been given to the High Priests (Leviticus 4:3: compare also 1 Samuel 2:10, 1 Samuel 2:35); but this is the earliest instance of an actual king of Israel bearing the title of God‘s Christ, and thus typifying the true Messiah or Christ of God. Any bribe - literally, a “ransom,” the fine paid by a criminal in lieu of bonds or death Exodus 21:30, applied to the bribe paid…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3God chose Saul as the anointed one (see 1 Samuel 9:16). Whose ox or donkey have I taken?: Compare with Numbers 16:15. Whom have I cheated or oppressed?: This contrasts with the actions of kings (1 Samuel 8:11–16). have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes?: No, but Samuel’s sons did (1 Samuel 8:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-51Sa 12:1-5. Samuel Testifies his Integrity. 1-4. Samuel said unto all Israel--This public address was made after the solemn re-instalment of Saul, and before the convention at Gilgal separated. Samuel, having challenged a review of his public life, received a unanimous testimony to the unsullied honor of his personal character, as well as the justice and integrity of his public administration.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 12:3

• Rulers
• Samuel
• Self-Denial

In the dictionaries

• Cattle
• Reason
• Samuel, Books of
• Anointing
• Bribery
• Fourfold
• Judges, Period of
• Samuel, Books of
• Messiah

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