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 addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. 2Your king is now your leader. I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.” 4“No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” 5“The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.” “Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.

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 12:5“The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.” “Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.
• 1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession.
• 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.”
• 2 Samuel 1:14“Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked.
• Matthew 22:21“Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
• Romans 13:1Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
• Numbers 16:15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their grain offerings! I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, and I have never hurt a single one of them.”
• Acts 20:33“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes.
• 2 Corinthians 12:14Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:5Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!
• 1 Peter 5:2Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
• Exodus 23:8“Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.
• Deuteronomy 16:19You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
• Exodus 22:4If someone steals an ox or a donkey or a sheep and it is found in the thief’s possession, then the thief must pay double the value of the stolen animal.
• Leviticus 6:4If you have sinned in any of these ways, you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found,
• Luke 19:8Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them 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