1 Samuel 12 25

1 Samuel 12:25 kjv

But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

1 Samuel 12:25 nkjv

But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."

1 Samuel 12:25 niv

Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish."

1 Samuel 12:25 esv

But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."

1 Samuel 12:25 nlt

But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away."

1 Samuel 12 verses

1 Samuel 12 25 Meaning

This verse serves as a solemn warning and the final part of a conditional statement within Samuel's farewell address to Israel. It states that if the people and their newly appointed king persistently engage in wickedness or disobedience against God, they will both face complete destruction or perishing. It emphasizes the direct consequences of corporate sin for both the ruler and the ruled, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty and judgment over His covenant people.

1 Samuel 12 25 Context

This verse is the climax of Samuel's poignant farewell speech to Israel following their insistent demand for a human king, even though God was their rightful King. Prior to this verse, Samuel has recounted God's faithful deliverance of Israel throughout their history, highlighted their sin in rejecting God by asking for a king, and performed a miracle of rain during the harvest to confirm his words and demonstrate God's displeasure. He assures them that God will not forsake His people if they fear, serve, and obey Him (v. 24). Verse 25 presents the severe alternative, establishing a conditional future for the monarchy. It underscores that having a human king does not absolve Israel or their king from their covenant obligations to God; their prosperity and very existence depend on continued obedience. This passage establishes a foundational principle for kingship in Israel: even the king is subject to God's law and judgment.

1 Samuel 12 25 Word analysis

• But if (וְאִם-עוֹד / v'im-od):

  • וְ (ve): "and" or "but," functioning here adversatively, introducing a contrast to the previous verse's conditional promise of safety if they obey.
  • אִם (im): "if," introducing a conditional clause, pointing to a potential future scenario.
  • עוֹד (od): "still," "yet," "furthermore," or "again." This adverb is crucial; it implies a continuation or persistence in wicked behavior. It's not about a single lapse but a sustained course of action.
  • Significance: This combination stresses the free will and the grave choice set before Israel. Their fate is not predestined regardless of action but directly contingent on their future conduct. The "still" emphasizes the ongoing nature of their potential transgression.

• you... do wickedly (תַּרְשִׁיעוּ / tarshiyu):

  • From the verb רָשַׁע (rasha): to be wicked, to act wickedly, to do wrong, to condemn or declare guilty. The Hiphil conjugation (seen in tarshiyu) suggests active, causative, or declarative wickedness; they cause themselves to be wicked or persist in wicked acts.
  • Significance: This isn't just about mistakes or inadvertent sin but about deliberate, intentional, and perhaps systemic unrighteousness and disobedience to God's commandments. It covers both individual and collective wrongdoing that defies God's moral order.

• both you (אַתֶּם / attem):

  • This is the second person masculine plural pronoun, referring to the entire people of Israel.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the collective responsibility and accountability of the nation. The people's actions (and inactions) have direct bearing on their destiny.

• and your king (וּמַלְכְּכֶם / u'malk’chem):

  • וּ (u): "and."
  • מַלְכְּכֶם (malk’chem): "your king." This is the word melekh (king) with the second person masculine plural suffix.
  • Significance: Crucially links the fate of the king with the people, and vice versa. It highlights that the king is not above God's law or immune to the consequences of disobedience. The leader bears significant responsibility for leading the nation in righteousness, and the nation is also responsible for following or condoning the king's path. This stands in stark contrast to pagan notions of kingship where the king might be considered a divine embodiment or beyond human accountability.

• will be swept away (תִּסָּפוּ / tissafu):

  • From the verb סָפָה (sapha): to cease, perish, be utterly consumed, be swept away, be destroyed, be brought to an end. The Niphal conjugation (passive) indicates that they will be completely removed or eliminated.
  • Significance: This term implies complete and definitive destruction or termination, not merely defeat or punishment. It points to a corporate covenant curse of exile or annihilation, indicating the most severe form of divine judgment, signaling the end of their national existence as a unified people under God's favor in their land. It echoes the warnings in the Pentateuch regarding Israel's covenant destiny.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "But if you still do wickedly": This entire conditional phrase establishes a direct causal link between the people's ongoing moral conduct (including their king's leadership) and God's intervention. The inclusion of "still" points to persistent, rather than isolated, transgression, indicating a continued pattern of rebellion.
  • "both you and your king": This pairing explicitly lays out the shared accountability of both the governed and the governor. It signifies that the king's elevated status does not exempt him from divine judgment; rather, his sin potentially amplifies the judgment on the nation. The nation's future is inextricably tied to the king's faithfulness to God and their own corporate walk. The monarchy does not supersede the covenant with God; it operates under its terms.
  • "will be swept away": This phrase portrays a final and comprehensive judgment. It's an ominous warning of total eradication, implying that the consequences of corporate disobedience extend to the very existence and continuation of Israel as a divinely protected entity in their promised land. It represents the ultimate covenant curse.

1 Samuel 12 25 Bonus section

The concept of "swept away" or sapha in this context directly anticipates later events in Israel's history, such as the exiles of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. These exiles were a direct fulfillment of the covenant curses warned about here and throughout Deuteronomy and Leviticus for persistent idolatry and disobedience by both kings and people. Samuel's warning sets the stage for the prophetic ministry that would continually call Israel to repentance and warn of impending doom for their ongoing wickedness. The polemic is evident: unlike surrounding pagan nations where kings were sometimes deified or considered semi-divine and largely immune to the judgment that befell common people, Israel's king was fully accountable to Yahweh. The divine wrath could touch the very throne. This verse is also crucial in understanding the "Samuelide critique" of monarchy, asserting that the true foundation of Israel's existence remains its relationship with God, not its political structure.

1 Samuel 12 25 Commentary

1 Samuel 12:25 distills the essence of covenant theology into a concise and powerful warning. Samuel, acting as God's prophet, sets forth the ultimate stakes for Israel under their new monarchy. This is not simply a prediction, but a clear articulation of God's conditional governance over His people, regardless of their chosen form of government. The presence of a human king does not nullify God's suzerainty or the requirements of the Law. The shared judgment upon "both you and your king" powerfully communicates the intertwined destiny of leadership and people; one cannot escape the consequences of the other's sin without active repentance and reform. "Swept away" denotes an ultimate, comprehensive destruction, emphasizing God's resolve to uphold His righteous standards. This verse serves as a timeless reminder that true prosperity and security for any nation or individual lie not in human arrangements or strength, but in continued obedience and faithfulness to the sovereign God. It cautions against the human tendency to replace divine leadership with human systems, highlighting that reliance on external structures without internal godliness is futile and destructive.