1 Samuel 12:12

1 Samuel 12:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king.
• New International Version (NIV)“But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the Lord your God was your king.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king.

Context of 1 Samuel 12:12

10“Then they cried to the Lord again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the Lord and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ 11Then the Lord sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety. “But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king. 13All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request. 14“Now if you fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the Lord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the Lord as your God.

1 Samuel 12:12 word by word

וַתִּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־נָחָ֞שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּוֹן֮ בָּ֣א עֲלֵיכֶם֒ וַתֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י לֹ֕א כִּי־מֶ֖לֶךְ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when ye sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that Nahashנָחָשׁnâchâsh · NahashH5176
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• against you, ye saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• shall reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• over us: when the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 12:12

• 1 Samuel 11:1About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.
• 1 Samuel 8:3But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
• Judges 9:18But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman’s son, Abimelech, to be your king just because he is your relative.
• 1 Samuel 8:7“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.
• 1 Samuel 10:19But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.”
• Genesis 17:7“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
• Exodus 19:5Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
• Numbers 23:21No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the Lord their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king.
• Judges 8:23But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you!
• Psalms 74:12You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth.
• Isaiah 33:22For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.
• Hosea 13:10Now where is your king? Let him save you! Where are all the leaders of the land, the king and the officials you demanded of me?

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 12:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12When ye saw that Nahash - This was not the first time they had demanded a king; see before, 1 Samuel 8:5. But at the crisis mentioned here they became more importunate; and it was in consequence of this that the kingdom was a second time confirmed to Saul. Saul was elected at Mizpeh, he was confirmed at Gilgal.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-15Verses 6-15 The work of ministers is to reason with people; not only to exhort and direct, but to persuade, to convince men's judgments, and so to gain their wills and affections. Samuel reasons of the righteous acts of the Lord. Those who follow God faithfully, he will enable to continue following him. Disobedience would certainly be the ruin of Israel. We mistake if we think that we can escape God's justice, by trying to shake off his dominion. If we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12when you saw that Nahash … was moving against you: Israel's trouble with Nahash likely started before the events described in 1 Samuel 11:1–11 (see 8:5, 20; 10:27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-167-16. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you--The burden of this faithful and uncompromising address was to show them, that though they had obtained the change of government they had so importunely desired, their conduct was highly displeasing to their heavenly King; nevertheless, if they remained faithful to Him and to the principles of the theocracy, they might be delivered from many of the evils to which the new state of things would…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 12:12

• Theocracy

In the dictionaries

• Ammon
• God
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Ammon, Ammonite
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Reason
• Samuel, Books of
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Judges, Period of
• Reign

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