1 Samuel 12:1 kjv
And 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.
1 Samuel 12:1 nkjv
Now Samuel said to all Israel: "Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
1 Samuel 12:1 niv
Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.
1 Samuel 12:1 esv
And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you.
1 Samuel 12:1 nlt
Then Samuel addressed all Israel: "I have done as you asked and given you a king.
1 Samuel 12 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 8:5 | "Give us a king to judge us..." | Israel's initial demand for a king. |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | "for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them." | God's response: Israel rejected Him, not Samuel. |
| 1 Sam 8:22 | "The LORD said to Samuel, 'Listen to their voice and make them a king.'" | God instructed Samuel to grant their request. |
| 1 Sam 10:19 | "But today you have rejected your God... and said, 'No, but set a king over us.'" | Samuel reiterates their rejection of God. |
| Deut 17:14-15 | "When you come to the land... and say, 'I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,' you may indeed set a king over you..." | Moses prophesies Israel's future desire for a king. |
| Hos 13:10-11 | "I gave you a king in My anger, and I took him away in My wrath." | God's assessment of their request and its outcome. |
| Acts 13:21-22 | "Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul... He raised up David as their king..." | Paul recounts Israel's desire for a king. |
| Judg 8:23 | "Gideon said to them, 'I will not rule over you... The LORD will rule over you.'" | Rejection of human kingship in earlier era. |
| Judg 21:25 | "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." | State of disorder before a king. |
| Gen 17:6 | "I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you." | God's promise of kings from Abraham's lineage. |
| Gen 35:11 | "A nation, indeed a company of nations, shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body." | God's promise to Jacob (Israel) regarding kings. |
| Num 24:17 | "A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel." | Prophecy of a king from Israel. |
| 1 Sam 9:16 | "I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin... you shall anoint him ruler over My people Israel..." | God's foreknowledge and choice of Saul. |
| 1 Sam 10:24 | "Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? For there is no one like him among all the people." | Samuel presents Saul as God's choice. |
| Exod 19:5 | "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My special treasure..." | Conditional covenant blessings on obedience. |
| Exod 23:21 | "Be careful before him and obey his voice; do not provoke him..." | Command to obey God's appointed messenger. |
| Deut 28:1-14 | "Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God... all these blessings shall come upon you..." | Blessings for obedience to God's voice. |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." | Emphasizes the importance of obedience to God. |
| Ps 81:11-12 | "But My people would not heed My voice... So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels." | Israel's failure to listen to God. |
| Jer 7:23 | "But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God...'" | Recurrence of the command to obey God's voice. |
| 1 Sam 7:15-17 | Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life... built an altar to the LORD. | Samuel's faithfulness as judge and prophet. |
| 1 Sam 12:2-5 | Samuel challenging Israel about his integrity. | Samuel's defense of his blameless service. |
1 Samuel 12 verses
1 Samuel 12 1 Meaning
This verse opens Samuel’s farewell address to Israel at Gilgal, formally acknowledging their request for a king has been granted. Samuel declares that he has heeded their desire for a human monarch, signifying the culmination of the transition from the era of judges to a monarchy under King Saul, chosen by divine directive through Samuel.
1 Samuel 12 1 Context
1 Samuel 12:1 is spoken at a critical juncture in Israel's history, immediately following Saul's confirmation as king at Gilgal (1 Sam 11). The Ammonite defeat orchestrated by Saul solidified his popular acceptance. This verse marks the beginning of Samuel's poignant farewell address to the assembled nation. His speech serves as a spiritual and political transition, moving from his judgeship to the newly established monarchy. Samuel's aim is to underscore God's unwavering faithfulness despite Israel's request for a king—a request that demonstrated their lack of faith in God as their sole ruler. He challenges them to live righteously under the new leadership, warning of dire consequences for disobedience to the Lord, but promising divine favor for obedience to Him and the king.
1 Samuel 12 1 Word analysis
- And Samuel: `וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל` (vayyōmer šəmūʾēl) - "And Samuel said." Samuel, meaning "Heard of God" or "Name of God," is a key transitional figure, serving as the last judge and a prominent prophet who anointed both Saul and David. His act here is formal and public, representing a handover of secular authority.
- said: `וַיֹּאמֶר` (vayyōmer) - A simple, frequently used verb for speaking, but in this context, it marks the opening of a profound address with significant implications for Israel's future.
- to all Israel: `אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל` (ʾel-kāl-yiśrāʾēl) - Addressing the entire assembly, signifying the national scope of the events and decisions. "Israel" means "God prevails" or "struggles with God," referring to the covenant people.
- "Behold,": `הִנֵּה` (hinnēh) - An emphatic interjection meaning "look," "indeed," "listen." It calls for immediate and serious attention to what is about to be said, emphasizing the momentous nature of Samuel's words.
- "I have listened to your voice": `שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּקֹלְכֶם` (šāmaʿtî bəqōlkem) - `שָׁמַע` (shama) means "to hear," but often implies "to obey" or "to heed." `קֹל` (qol) means "voice," "sound," or "utterance." Here, Samuel explicitly states his compliance with their request. This phrase echoes God telling Samuel in 1 Sam 8:7 to "listen to their voice," highlighting divine permission behind the human desire.
- "in all that you said to me": `בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם אֵלָי` (bəkol ʾăšer ʾămartem ʾēlāy) - Reinforces the comprehensive nature of Samuel's compliance, reiterating that he yielded to every aspect of their demand.
- "and have made a king over you.": `וָאַמְלִיךְ עֲלֵיכֶם מֶלֶךְ` (vāʾamlı̂ḵ ʿălêḵem meleḵ) - `וָאַמְלִיךְ` (va'amlikh) means "and I caused a king to reign," implying that Samuel acted as the agent in the process of installing the king. Although Israel asked for a king and Samuel fulfilled the request, the king was ultimately chosen and installed under God's ultimate sovereignty (1 Sam 9:16). This marks a monumental governmental shift.
- "Behold, I have listened to your voice": This phrase highlights the responsiveness, yet also carries the undertone of divine concession rather than unmitigated approval. While Samuel fulfilled their demand, it was understood that Israel's motivation stemmed from rejecting God's direct rule, though God permissively allowed it.
- "I have listened to your voice ... and have made a king over you": This grouping explicitly ties Israel's desire for a king directly to Samuel's actions, demonstrating the tangible outcome of their demand. It symbolizes the shift from a charismatic, divinely appointed leadership (Judges) to a dynastic, humanly desired monarchy.
1 Samuel 12 1 Bonus section
- Theocratic vs. Monarchical Governance: This verse encapsulates the tension between God's intended direct rule (theocracy) and Israel's desire for a visible human king (monarchy), aligning themselves "like all the nations" (1 Sam 8:5). While kingship was foretold (Gen 17:6, Deut 17:14), Israel's reason for desiring it (rejection of God's direct rule, fear of other nations, disappointment with Samuel's sons) was problematic.
- Samuel's Prophetic Integrity: By publicly affirming the king's appointment despite his own initial reservations, Samuel demonstrates his unyielding commitment to fulfilling God's will, even when it diverged from his personal preferences or Israel's best spiritual interest. He maintained his role as God's faithful messenger.
1 Samuel 12 1 Commentary
1 Samuel 12:1 marks a solemn transition in Israel's history, with Samuel, the last of the judges, formally handing over authority to King Saul. This verse establishes the core theme of Samuel's farewell address: the granting of Israel's desire for a human king. Samuel's opening statement, "I have listened to your voice," signifies his full compliance with their request, acting as God's servant, even though the divine instruction came with a significant caveat regarding their rejection of God Himself (1 Sam 8:7). The public declaration at Gilgal, the site of Saul's initial anointing (1 Sam 10) and confirmation as king (1 Sam 11), underscored the legitimacy and public acceptance of the new monarchy, but it also prepared the way for Samuel to remind Israel of the potential dangers of their choice if they neglected God. It is a moment of both fulfillment and forewarning.