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

1And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 2And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am: witness against me before Yhwh, 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 of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand. 5And he said unto them, Yhwh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, 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

• witnessעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• against me before Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and before his anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
• whose oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• have I takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• or whose donkeyחֲמוֹרchămôr 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 12:5And he said unto them, Yhwh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
• 1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because Yhwh hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
• 1 Samuel 24:6And he said unto his men, Yhwh forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, Yhwh's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of Yhwh.
• 2 Samuel 1:14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy Yhwh's anointed?
• Matthew 22:21They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
• Romans 13:1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no authority but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
• Numbers 16:15And Moses was very wroth, and said unto Yhwh, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
• Acts 20:33I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
• 2 Corinthians 12:14Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:5For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
• 1 Peter 5:2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
• Exodus 23:8And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
• Deuteronomy 16:19Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
• Exodus 22:4If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or donkey, or sheep; he shall restore double.
• Leviticus 6:4Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
• Luke 19:8And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

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