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

1Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done everything you requested. I have given you a king. 2Now look! This king walks before you. As for me, I am old and gray, though my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from the time of my youth till the present day. Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, and I will return it to you!” 4They replied, “You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.” 5He said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his chosen king is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me.” 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• witnessעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• against me before the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and before his anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
• whose oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• have I takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• or whose assחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• or whom have I defraudedעָשַׁק‛âshaq · to oppressH6231
• whom have I oppressedרָצַץrâtsats · to crushH7533
• or of whose handיָדyâd · handH3027
• bribeכֹּפֶרkôpher · ransomH3724
• to blindעָלַם‛âlam · to concealH5956
• mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• therewith? and I will restoreשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 12:3

• 1 Samuel 12:5He said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his chosen king is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me.” They said, “He is witness!”
• 1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance.
• 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the Lord’s chosen one.”
• 2 Samuel 1:14David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
• Matthew 22:21They replied, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
• Romans 13:1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.
• Numbers 16:15Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, “Have no respect for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!”
• Acts 20:33I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing.
• 2 Corinthians 12:14Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:5For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness –
• 1 Peter 5:2Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
• Exodus 23:8“You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the words of the righteous.
• Deuteronomy 16:19You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort the words of the righteous.
• Exodus 22:4If the stolen item should in fact be found alive in his possession, whether it be an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he must pay back double.
• Leviticus 6:4when it happens that he sins and he is found guilty, then he must return whatever he had stolen, or whatever he had extorted, or the thing that he had held in trust, or the lost thing that he had found,
• Luke 19:8But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying 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