1 Samuel 12 10

1 Samuel 12:10 kjv

And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

1 Samuel 12:10 nkjv

Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.'

1 Samuel 12:10 niv

They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.'

1 Samuel 12:10 esv

And they cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.'

1 Samuel 12:10 nlt

"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.'

1 Samuel 12 verses

1 Samuel 12 10 Meaning

The verse recounts a common historical pattern of Israel: when facing severe distress and oppression from their enemies, they would desperately cry out to the LORD. Simultaneously, they would confess their past sins, specifically admitting to forsaking God and engaging in the worship of pagan deities like Baalim and Ashtaroth. In their moment of suffering, they would plead for immediate deliverance, coupled with a renewed (though often temporary) promise to serve the true God exclusively.

1 Samuel 12 10 Context

1 Samuel 12 forms part of Samuel’s farewell address to the Israelites, delivered as Saul is confirmed as their king. Samuel uses this occasion to vindicate his own leadership, warn the people about the implications of their demand for a human king, and underscore God's enduring faithfulness despite Israel's persistent unfaithfulness. Verse 10 specifically harks back to Israel's historical cycles during the Judges period: cycles of rebellion against God through idolatry, subsequent oppression by enemies, desperate cries for divine deliverance, confession of sin, and God's eventual raising up of a judge to save them. Samuel employs this pattern as a potent reminder that Israel's troubles have consistently stemmed from their spiritual rebellion, not from a lack of human leadership. This historical recitation serves to teach them that God's justice punishes disobedience, but His mercy responds to their cries, even when their repentance is shallow.

1 Samuel 12 10 Word analysis

• And they cried: וַיִּצְעֲקוּ (va-yiṣ'ăqu). From the Hebrew root צָעַק (ṣāʿaq), meaning "to cry out," typically signifying a desperate cry for help or intervention, often born from deep distress or oppression. This word emphasizes a reactive, urgent response to crisis.

• unto the LORD: אֶל־יְהוָה (el YHWH). This directs their plea specifically to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, acknowledging His supreme authority and power to deliver, despite their having forsaken Him.

• and said: וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yō'mĕru). A simple transition word, introducing their direct confession and plea.

• We have sinned: חָטָאנוּ (chata'nu). From חָטָא (ḥāṭāʾ), meaning "to miss the mark," "to go astray," "to err," or "to offend." It represents an admission of moral culpability and covenant breaking. The perfect tense denotes a past action with present, enduring consequences.

• because we have forsaken: כִּי עָזַבְנוּ (ki azavnu). "Because we have abandoned" or "left behind." עָזַב (ʿāzav) conveys a deliberate act of departure from, or abandonment of, their relationship and covenant obligations with God. This identifies the core transgression.

• the LORD: אֶת־יְהוָה (et-YHWH). Again, emphasizing Yahweh, the one true God, whom they consciously turned away from.

• and have served: וַנַּעֲבֹד (va-nnaʿăvōd). From עָבַד (ʿāvad), "to work," "to serve," or "to worship." This signifies giving their allegiance and devotion to another, which stands in direct opposition to serving Yahweh.

• Baalim: הַבְּעָלִים (ha-bĕ'alîm). The plural of Baal (בַּעַל), a collective term for various local manifestations of the chief Canaanite storm and fertility deity. Worshipping Baal involved beliefs and practices that challenged Yahweh's sovereignty over nature and life, often involving immoral rituals.

• and Ashtaroth: וְהָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת (vĕ-hā'ašhtāroṭ). The plural of Ashtoreth (עַשְׁתֹּרֶת), the Canaanite goddess of fertility, love, and war, often depicted as Baal's consort. Their worship was intrinsically linked to Baal worship and posed a major spiritual threat to Israel.

• but now: וְעַתָּה (vĕ-ʿattāh). A conjunction often used to introduce a consequent action or an urgent plea, marking a shift from their confession to a petition for rescue.

• deliver us: הַצִּילֵנוּ (hatsileynu). An imperative from נָצַל (nātsal), "to snatch away," "to rescue," "to deliver." This expresses an urgent, direct request for divine intervention and salvation from their immediate peril.

• out of the hand of our enemies: מִיַּד אֹיְבֵינוּ (miyad oyveyynu). "From the power/control of our enemies." "Hand" (יָד - yad) is a common biblical metaphor for power, authority, or dominion. It signifies that they are suffering under the direct oppression of hostile forces.

• and we will serve thee: וְנַעֲבָדֶךָּ (vĕ-na'avadekka). "And we will worship/serve you (Yahweh)." A future-tense promise, indicating a renewed commitment to worship and obey Yahweh exclusively. However, in the context of Israel's history, such promises frequently proved short-lived and contingent on their relief from suffering.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned,": This opening depicts Israel's patterned behavior of crying out in distress, compelled by immediate suffering, which then leads to an admission of guilt. This crying is reactive, a consequence of calamity.
  • "because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth:": This core segment directly addresses the reason for their suffering: their unfaithfulness and covenant violation. The dual act of "forsaking the LORD" and "serving" pagan deities pinpoints their egregious spiritual apostasy and explains why divine judgment was upon them.
  • "but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.": This conclusion reveals the conditional nature of their plea. It's a bargain for immediate deliverance ("deliver us now") in exchange for a future promise of renewed allegiance ("we will serve thee"). Historically, this promise was often tenuous, driven more by a desire for relief from consequences than a genuine, heartfelt turning from sin to God.

1 Samuel 12 10 Bonus section

• The Theological Scandal of Baalim: The worship of Baal (and Ashtaroth) was not merely a deviation but a direct assault on the fundamental nature of Yahweh. Baal was the storm god, supposedly responsible for rain and agricultural prosperity. By turning to Baal, Israel implicitly denied Yahweh's control over the very elements crucial for their sustenance, essentially challenging His divine providence and creative power, thus questioning His authority as the one true provider and sustainer.
• Patterned vs. Transformed Repentance: This verse exemplifies "patterned repentance"—a repetition of action and consequence, lacking deep, lasting transformation. This stands in contrast to the New Testament emphasis on repentance as a complete change of mind and heart, evidenced by "fruits worthy of repentance" (Matt 3:8) and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Ezek 36:26-27), leading to new life in Christ (Rom 6:4).
• Foreboding for the Monarchy: Samuel's recitation of this history is a powerful indictment of Israel's spiritual condition. It serves as a subtle, yet potent, warning about the coming monarchy. Just as their problems consistently stemmed from forsaking God, their desire for a king (rejecting God's direct rule, 1 Sam 8) was another symptom of their deeper spiritual malaise, implying that even a king would not fix their core issue unless their hearts truly turned to God.

1 Samuel 12 10 Commentary

1 Samuel 12:10 powerfully illustrates Israel's recurring cycle of sin and a reactive repentance during the Judges period, a pattern Samuel uses as a stern warning. It portrays a people caught in a tragic loop: prosperity leading to spiritual drift, characterized by abandoning Yahweh and turning to the seductive fertility cults of Baal and Ashtoreth. This apostasy would then invariably lead to divine judgment in the form of oppression by foreign enemies. Only when suffering reached a peak would they cry out in anguish to the God they had forsaken, offering a confession of their sin and a promise of renewed loyalty in exchange for rescue. While such pleas evoked God’s mercy (His character as "gracious and merciful, slow to anger"), the historical record frequently shows these vows were fleeting, a pragmatic response to crisis rather than a deep transformation of the heart. The verse highlights God's patience and faithfulness to His covenant promises, yet also implicitly condemns Israel's persistent spiritual amnesia and superficial piety, which ultimately led to the very crisis Samuel was addressing concerning their demand for a king.