1 Samuel 12:6 kjv
And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
1 Samuel 12:6 nkjv
Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.
1 Samuel 12:6 niv
Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt.
1 Samuel 12:6 esv
And Samuel said to the people, "The LORD is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
1 Samuel 12:6 nlt
"It was the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron," Samuel continued. "He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt.
1 Samuel 12 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 3:7-10 | "...I have seen the oppression of my people... and have come down to deliver them... and now come, I will send you to Pharaoh..." | God's initiative to deliver Israel through Moses. |
| Exod 4:14-16 | "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well... and he shall be your spokesman to the people." | God's specific appointment of Aaron to assist Moses. |
| Exod 6:6-7 | "Say to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians...'" | God identifies Himself as the deliverer from Egypt. |
| Deut 4:34-35 | "...has any god attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation... as the LORD your God did for you...?" | Unique nature of God's powerful deliverance from Egypt. |
| Deut 5:6 | "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." | God's self-declaration emphasizes His deliverer role. |
| Deut 6:21-22 | "...'We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand...'" | Israel's generational remembrance of God's act. |
| Deut 7:9 | "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love..." | God's faithful character demonstrated in His actions. |
| Josh 24:5-6 | "And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt... Then I brought you out." | Joshua's farewell speech also recounts God's past deliverance through Moses and Aaron. |
| Num 16:28 | "And Moses said, 'Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works...'" | Moses' authority derived directly from God's sending. |
| Num 27:18 | "So the LORD said to Moses, 'Take Joshua... and lay your hand on him...'" | God appointing leaders in succession. |
| Judg 6:8-9 | "...I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery...'" | Similar reminder by a prophet during the judges' period. |
| Neh 9:9-11 | "You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry... and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh..." | Ezra recounts God's historical deliverance. |
| Psa 77:20 | "You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." | A psalm acknowledging God's leadership through Moses and Aaron. |
| Psa 78:12-14 | "In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders in the land of Egypt..." | Recalling God's miraculous acts during the Exodus. |
| Psa 105:26-27 | "He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed his signs among them..." | Directly names Moses and Aaron as chosen servants performing God's signs. |
| Psa 106:7-8 | "Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works... Yet he saved them for his name's sake..." | God's saving act despite Israel's lack of understanding. |
| Isa 63:11-12 | "Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses, his servant... who led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm..." | Prophet's recollection of God's powerful leadership through Moses. |
| Jer 32:20-21 | "...who brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders..." | Prophet Jeremiah's reminder of God's great act of deliverance. |
| Mic 6:4 | "For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam." | Prophet Micah directly mentions Moses and Aaron in connection with the Exodus. |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | "And the LORD said to Samuel, 'Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.'" | The broader context of Israel's rejection of God as their King. |
| 1 Sam 10:19 | "But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said, 'Set a king over us.'" | Israel's desire for a king is seen as a rejection of God. |
| Acts 7:35-36 | "This Moses, whom they rejected... this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel... He led them out..." | Stephen's speech echoing the theme of Israel rejecting God's chosen leader and deliverer. |
| Heb 3:1-2 | "Therefore... consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house." | NT parallel on God's appointment of leaders, connecting Moses to Christ. |
1 Samuel 12 verses
1 Samuel 12 6 Meaning
Samuel declares to the assembly that the LORD, Yahweh, is the one who sovereignly appointed Moses and Aaron as leaders and orchestrators of Israel's deliverance. This foundational statement underscores God's historical initiative and unwavering power in redeeming their ancestors from bondage in Egypt. It serves as a potent reminder that Israel's very existence as a free nation was a direct result of God's action, not human strength or strategic choice.
1 Samuel 12 6 Context
This verse is part of Samuel's valedictory address to the nation of Israel at Gilgal, following Saul's confirmation as king. Samuel is passing the mantle of leadership but, crucially, also uses the opportunity to validate his own ministry and call the people to account for their demand for a king. He recaps God's historical dealings with Israel, starting with the foundational event of the Exodus. Samuel aims to impress upon them that Yahweh alone is their true deliverer and king, and their recent request for a human monarch represents a deep-seated spiritual failure to trust in God's perfect provision. Verse 6 initiates a historical recounting intended to convict Israel of their ingratitude and disobedience, setting the stage for a vivid demonstration of God's power and a call to sincere repentance.
1 Samuel 12 6 Word analysis
And Samuel (וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, vayyōʾmer Shmuʾel): "Samuel" (Shmu'el) means "heard of God" or "name of God." He is the last of Israel's judges and a prophet. His speaking here marks a pivotal transition in Israel's leadership from judges to monarchy. The narrative "And said Samuel" emphasizes his authoritative role in addressing the gathered nation.
said (וַיֹּאמֶר, vayyōʾmer): The Hebrew waw consecutive imperfect, indicating a continuation of the narrative. It signifies Samuel's address to the people with prophetic weight and judicial authority.
to the people (אֶל-הָעָם, ʾel-hāʿām): Refers to the collective assembly of Israel. This was a public address to the entire congregation, indicating the national scope and covenantal significance of his message.
It is the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH, Yahweh): The covenant name of God, revealing His self-existent, faithful, and active nature. Samuel intentionally uses this sacred name, reminding the people of their covenant relationship and challenging any notion that a human king could replace the true Sovereign. This also serves as a polemic against the "gods" of the nations from whom Israel wished to be like.
who appointed (אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, ʾasher ʿāsāh): The Hebrew verb ʿāsāh (to do, to make, to perform, to prepare) here means that Yahweh was the one who brought about or established Moses and Aaron in their respective offices. It points to God's direct and sovereign action in commissioning and equipping these individuals for their roles. It is not about creation ex nihilo, but rather selection and ordination into a specific function.
Moses (אֶת-מֹשֶׁה, ʾet-Mosheh): The primary figure of the Exodus, God's chosen deliverer and lawgiver, central to Israel's identity and covenant relationship with God. He represents divine authority and the revealed Torah.
and Aaron (וְאֵת אַהֲרֹן, vəʾēt Aharon): Moses' brother, designated by God as the first high priest and co-leader. He represents the established priesthood and the ritual path to God. Together, Moses and Aaron embody God's complete provision for Israel's leadership, both spiritual and governmental.
and brought up (וַאֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה, waʾăsher heʿelāh): The causative form of ʿālāh (to go up, ascend), meaning to "cause to come up" or "bring out." This active verb emphasizes God's direct, powerful, and delivering intervention.
your fathers (אֶת-אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, ʾet-ʾăvôtêkem): Refers to their ancestors, highlighting the historical continuity of God's covenant and His enduring faithfulness through generations. It appeals to their corporate memory of the Exodus as the defining event of their nation.
from the land of Egypt (מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, mēʾereṣ Miṣrayim): Egypt represents the land of bondage and oppression, a symbol of their helplessness from which only divine power could liberate them. This phrase underscores the miraculous and redemptive nature of God's intervention.
Words-group Analysis:
- "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron": This phrase firmly attributes the authority and origin of Israel's divinely established leadership to Yahweh alone. It counteracts the popular notion that human appointment or societal trends (like wanting a king "like all the nations") should dictate governance, re-emphasizing theocracy.
- "and brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt": This highlights God's historical, active, and unparalleled role as Israel's Redeemer and Provider. It roots His claim to kingship not in abstract theology but in concrete, miraculous deliverance. This act formed Israel into a nation, establishing God's covenant sovereignty over them.
1 Samuel 12 6 Bonus section
The historical recounting initiated in this verse is a common biblical rhetorical pattern, seen in speeches by Joshua (Josh 24), Stephen (Acts 7), and various psalms and prophetic books (e.g., Ps 78, Neh 9). This pattern served to refresh the corporate memory of God's mighty acts, reinforce covenant obligations, and highlight divine faithfulness despite human failure. The specific mention of "Moses and Aaron" in connection with the Exodus not only refers to their roles as deliverers but also as representatives of the Law (Moses) and the Priesthood (Aaron), illustrating God's complete provision for Israel's spiritual and civic life from the outset. This verse lays the groundwork for challenging the idea that a human king is superior to or even necessary over the continuous, active reign of Yahweh.
1 Samuel 12 6 Commentary
In 1 Samuel 12:6, Samuel confronts Israel with their own history, a strategy commonly employed by prophets in times of national crisis or spiritual drift. By invoking Yahweh's unparalleled acts in establishing Moses and Aaron and orchestrating the Exodus, Samuel underscores the fundamental truth that God has always been Israel's ultimate King and Provider of leadership. Their request for a human king was not merely a change in governance; it was a rejection of this divine, historical reality (1 Sam 8:7). Samuel uses this reminder of God's past faithfulness and absolute sovereignty as a rebuke to their present faithlessness. He demonstrates that Yahweh, not a king chosen by human will, possessed the true power to save, to establish leaders, and to fulfill His covenant promises. The verse serves as the foundation for Samuel's impending sermon, which details God's long-suffering with Israel despite their repeated backsliding, emphasizing His unchangeable character and challenging them to repent and fear Him.