1 Samuel 12:17 kjv
Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.
1 Samuel 12:17 nkjv
Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves."
1 Samuel 12:17 niv
Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king."
1 Samuel 12:17 esv
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king."
1 Samuel 12:17 nlt
You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the LORD to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the LORD for a king!"
1 Samuel 12 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 8:6-7 | But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen...they have rejected Me from being king over them." | Israel rejects God's direct kingship. |
| 1 Sam 8:10-18 | Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king... | Samuel warns of the consequences of an earthly king. |
| Deut 17:14-15 | "When you enter the land...and say, 'I will set a king over me, like all the nations who are around me,' you shall surely set a king over you..." | Law concerning kingship; note 'like all the nations'. |
| Hos 13:10-11 | "Where now is your king, that he may save you...?" I gave you a king in My anger and took him away in My wrath. | God gives a king in anger, showing displeasure. |
| Job 37:2-6 | Listen to the thunder of His voice... He causes the lightning to flash... He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the torrents of rain... | God's absolute control over natural phenomena. |
| Psa 29:3-9 | The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders... The voice of the LORD makes the deer calve... | The power and majesty of God's voice, often with thunder. |
| Jer 10:13 | When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth... | God's power over weather to establish His might. |
| 1 Kings 18:36-39 | ...the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering... When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, He is God!" | Miraculous signs confirm God's word and authority. |
| Exod 9:28-30 | "...Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail... and you may know that the earth is the LORD's." | God sends hail and thunder as a sign, confirming His rule. |
| Deut 18:22 | When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. | Confirmation of a true prophet's word. |
| Amos 4:7-8 | "I also withheld the rain from you when there were still three months until harvest... yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD. | Rain linked to God's judgment or blessing. |
| Zech 10:1 | Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain... the LORD will make thunderbolts, and He will give them showers of rain... | God is the ultimate source of rain. |
| Jer 15:1 | Then the LORD said to me, "Even though Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My heart would not be with this people." | Samuel's powerful intercessory role acknowledged by God. |
| Joel 2:23-24 | "Be glad, O sons of Zion... For He has given you the early rain for your vindication; And He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain." | Rain as a sign of God's righteousness or favor. |
| Rom 14:23 | ...whatever is not from faith is sin. | Their request for a king arose from lack of faith. |
| Jas 4:17 | Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. | Knowing God is King yet choosing an earthly king is sin. |
| Num 16:30 | "But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them... then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD." | God provides clear signs to validate His truth. |
| Judg 6:17 | Gideon said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me." | Desire for a divine sign to confirm truth. |
| Isa 33:22 | For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us— | God is portrayed as Israel's sole Judge, Lawgiver, and King. |
| 1 John 5:10 | The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar... | Rejecting God's way is making God a liar. |
| Acts 14:17 | ...He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. | God provides rain, demonstrating His benevolence. |
1 Samuel 12 verses
1 Samuel 12 17 Meaning
In 1 Samuel 12:17, the prophet Samuel vividly confirms God's displeasure over Israel's request for a human king by miraculously summoning thunder and rain during the dry wheat harvest season. This unseasonable phenomenon served as an irrefutable sign from God, demonstrating the great sin Israel committed in rejecting the Lord's direct rule and choosing an earthly monarch to be like other nations. The unusual weather was God's tangible confirmation that their desire for a king was indeed wickedness in His sight.
1 Samuel 12 17 Context
This verse is part of Samuel's farewell speech to the Israelites after they have anointed Saul as their first king. Samuel, who has judged Israel faithfully for decades, takes this moment to affirm his integrity and challenge the people regarding their decision to choose a king. He reminds them of God's deliverance throughout their history, emphasizing God's sole authority as their King. He explains that their persistent demand for a king, echoing other nations, was not just a desire for new leadership but a profound rejection of God Himself. To underscore the gravity of their sin and to divinely validate his words, Samuel performs a prophetic sign: summoning thunder and rain during the dry season of the wheat harvest, a time when such weather is virtually unheard of. This extraordinary event served as a powerful, undeniable confirmation of God's judgment upon their action.
1 Samuel 12 17 Word analysis
- Is it not: (Hebrew: הֲלֹא, Ha-lo') A rhetorical question, serving to emphasize the obvious truth of the statement that follows. Samuel uses this to lead the people to acknowledge a self-evident fact about the season.
- wheat harvest: (Hebrew: קְצִיר חִטִּים, k'tzir chittim) Occurs around late May to early June in ancient Israel. This period is consistently dry, characterized by clear skies and abundant sunshine. Rain at this time is an exceedingly rare and highly unnatural event, making its occurrence a clear indicator of divine intervention and a break in the normal course of nature.
- today: Emphasizes the immediacy and specificity of the sign. The divine demonstration is not for a future time but directly coincides with Samuel's words.
- I will call upon: (Hebrew: וְאֶקְרָא, v'eqra) Samuel states his intention to pray or summon God. This highlights his role as a prophet and mediator between God and Israel, showing that the event is not accidental but a direct response to his prayer. It demonstrates God's immediate answer to His faithful servant.
- the Lord: (Hebrew: יְהוָה, YHWH - The divine covenant name) Referring to the Sovereign God of Israel. It emphasizes that this power comes from God alone, not from any human or false deity.
- He may send: Demonstrates God's active involvement and absolute control over natural elements. The action is from God, not Samuel's power.
- thunder and rain: Natural elements under God's control. In biblical literature, thunder often accompanies God's presence, voice, or judgment (e.g., Psa 29). Rain, especially out of season, symbolizes divine power, judgment, or blessing. Here, it signifies a specific manifestation of God's displeasure and a warning.
- you shall know and see: Implies experiential and intellectual understanding. The sign is designed for the people to witness personally and come to a clear understanding of the truth. It's about direct, undeniable evidence.
- your wickedness: (Hebrew: רְעָתְכֶם, ra'atkhem - "evil," "wickedness," "harm") Refers to the moral and spiritual offense committed. It denotes not just a mistake but a profound transgression against God's nature and covenant.
- is great: Emphasizes the severe nature and magnitude of their sin. It's not a minor fault but a grave offense.
- which you have done: Points directly to their actions and choices as the source of their offense.
- in the sight of the Lord: Highlights that their sin was not hidden but committed openly before God, demonstrating a direct affront to His authority and holiness.
- by asking a king for yourselves: This phrase identifies the specific sin. It underscores their self-centered desire to be like other nations rather than trusting in God's unique covenant rule over them. This action demonstrates a lack of faith and a rejection of God as their invisible King and protector.
1 Samuel 12 17 Bonus section
The account of the unseasonal thunder and rain during wheat harvest serves multiple symbolic functions beyond simply confirming a prophet's word.
- Divine Revelation: It's a "visual aid" for a spiritual truth. God, who typically uses rain as a blessing (Deut 11:14), here uses it as a sign of judgment and warning, disrupting the expected natural order to underscore a profound spiritual transgression.
- Polemic against Idolatry: Many surrounding nations believed in gods of fertility and rain (e.g., Baal). This event asserted YHWH's exclusive control over the natural world, directly refuting the idea that rain or harvest depended on other deities.
- Covenant Fidelity: The Law prescribed blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Lev 26, Deut 28). This specific event links back to these covenant warnings, where disruptions in natural cycles could signify divine displeasure.
- The King of Israel: By confirming God's anger at their desire for a human king, the event foreshadowed the often-troubled history of the monarchy in Israel, marked by unfaithful kings who would ultimately lead the people astray, confirming the wisdom of God's initial reservations about an earthly ruler.
1 Samuel 12 17 Commentary
Samuel's summoning of thunder and rain during the dry wheat harvest season served as a potent, undeniable divine validation of his message: Israel's demand for an earthly king constituted grave sin. This miracle underscored God's absolute sovereignty over nature and His displeasure with a people who preferred visible, human leadership over His invisible yet perfect reign. It demonstrated that their pursuit of worldly conformity directly defied the divine order, profoundly impacting their relationship with the Lord. This unique weather phenomenon made it impossible for them to deny the wickedness of their decision.