1 Samuel 12 9

1 Samuel 12:9 kjv

And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

1 Samuel 12:9 nkjv

And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.

1 Samuel 12:9 niv

"But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.

1 Samuel 12:9 esv

But they forgot the LORD their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them.

1 Samuel 12:9 nlt

But the people soon forgot about the LORD their God, so he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor's army, and also to the Philistines and to the king of Moab, who fought against them.

1 Samuel 12 verses

1 Samuel 12 9 Meaning

This verse describes a specific period in Israel's history when, due to their profound spiritual forgetfulness and abandonment of Yahweh, the sovereign God allowed them to be overcome and oppressed by specific enemies: Sisera, the Philistines, and the King of Moab. It highlights a recurring pattern of divine judgment where God permitted hostile nations to prevail against Israel as a consequence of their unfaithfulness.

1 Samuel 12 9 Context

This verse is part of Samuel's crucial farewell speech to the people of Israel as they stand before the newly anointed King Saul in Gilgal. Samuel, acting as the final judge, reminds the people of God's covenant faithfulness throughout their history and, crucially, their consistent pattern of disloyalty. The historical period Samuel is recounting is primarily the time of the Judges, characterized by a cyclical pattern: Israel would forget God and fall into sin (idolatry, rebellion), God would "sell" or hand them over to oppressing nations, Israel would cry out in distress, and God would raise up a deliverer (a judge).

Samuel is making a powerful theological argument: their demand for a human king to "go out before us and fight our battles" (1 Sam 8:20) reveals a deep-seated spiritual problem – a rejection of Yahweh as their true King. By reviewing their past, Samuel aims to highlight that their true problem was never a lack of a human leader or military might, but their persistent spiritual amnesia regarding God and His commands. The historical oppressors mentioned—Sisera, the Philistines, and the king of Moab—are specific and well-known examples from the book of Judges (Judges 3-5, 10-16), serving as concrete proofs of this cycle of forgetting God leading to divine judgment through foreign oppression. This historical recounting underscores the theological polemic against the contemporary belief that national security relied on earthly kings or powerful alliances, rather than on covenant fidelity to the Lord.

1 Samuel 12 9 Word analysis

• And when ye forgat: The Hebrew word for "forgat" is shakhakh (שָׁכַח). This is more than a simple memory lapse. In biblical usage, shakhakh often implies a deeper forgetting that leads to neglecting obligations, abandoning a relationship, or ceasing to acknowledge a truth or command. It signifies a willful turning away or active disregard of God's covenant, His mighty acts, and His instructions, resulting in disobedience and spiritual apostasy.

• the Lord your God: This emphasizes the intimate covenant relationship that Israel had with Yahweh, their personal and redeeming God, unlike the false gods of the surrounding nations. To "forget" this particular God carries profound implications of betrayal and covenant breach.

• he sold you: The Hebrew term is makhar (מָכַר), literally "to sell." This is a powerful anthropomorphic expression signifying that God actively (though not in the sense of commerce) gave them over or abandoned them to their enemies as a judgment. It implies a sovereign act where God, in His just wrath, withdraws His protective hand and permits hostile powers to subjugate His disobedient people. This underlines God's ultimate control over history and nations, using even enemies as instruments of His righteous discipline.

• into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor: Sisera was the general of Jabin, the Canaanite king of Hazor, who brutally oppressed Israel for 20 years before being defeated by Deborah and Barak (Judg 4). This refers to a significant past oppression.

• and into the hand of the Philistines: The Philistines were perennial enemies of Israel, often serving as oppressors, particularly in the later period of the Judges, even during the time of Samuel and Saul (Judg 13-16; 1 Sam 4-7). Their presence highlighted Israel's recurring struggle.

• and into the hand of the king of Moab: This specifically refers to King Eglon of Moab, who enslaved Israel for 18 years before being assassinated by Ehud (Judg 3).

• and they fought against you: This phrase confirms the physical reality of the oppression. These enemies were not passive threats but active instruments of divine judgment, engaging in military conflict and subjugation against Israel. It underscores the tangible consequences of spiritual forgetfulness.

• "When ye forgat the Lord your God, he sold you": This clause highlights the direct cause-and-effect relationship between Israel's spiritual decline and divine judgment. Forgetting God was the cause; being "sold" into the hands of their enemies was the consequence. It reveals God's active, yet just, role in their suffering.

• "Into the hand of Sisera... Philistines... king of Moab": This cumulative listing of specific, historical oppressors underscores the repetitive nature of this cycle during the Judges' period. It served as a stark reminder of God's consistent disciplinary pattern and their consistent unfaithfulness. The specificity adds credibility and historical weight to Samuel's warning.

• "And they fought against you": This short concluding phrase reinforces the harsh reality and tangible pain experienced as a result of divine judgment, emphasizing the physical struggle and oppression.

1 Samuel 12 9 Bonus section

• Theological Implications of "Sold You": This strong imagery highlights God's sovereignty even over the actions of foreign nations. He is not merely reactive; He is in control. While seemingly a passive act from Israel's perspective, God actively withdraws His favor, thereby 'handing them over'. This prefigures New Testament concepts of God "giving people over" to their depraved desires when they reject Him (Rom 1:24, 26, 28).
• Cycle of Spiritual Decline: This verse perfectly encapsulates the repeated Deuteronomic cycle seen in Judges: forgetfulness/disobedience -> divine wrath/punishment (being sold) -> repentance/cry for help -> divine deliverance (raising a judge). Samuel's sermon sought to break this cycle by highlighting its futility and urging genuine, consistent faithfulness.
• Purpose of Historical Recounting: Samuel's retelling of these specific historical oppressions served as both an accusation and an exhortation. It accused Israel of their consistent unfaithfulness but also provided evidence of God's enduring patience and His pattern of deliverance once they repented, laying the groundwork for how they should conduct themselves under the monarchy. It's a reminder that God governs human history to achieve His righteous purposes.

1 Samuel 12 9 Commentary

In 1 Samuel 12:9, Samuel, serving as God's prophet, masterfully re-presents Israel's history not as a mere chronological sequence but as a theological drama. He confronts the people with their enduring sin of forgetting Yahweh. This "forgetting" was no simple lapse; it was a deep-seated spiritual rebellion that involved abandoning the exclusive worship of God, disregarding His laws, and failing to trust in His providence. The inevitable consequence, as recounted repeatedly through the examples of Sisera, the Philistines, and the king of Moab—all familiar oppressive powers from the era of the Judges—was God's judicial act of "selling" them into servitude. This meant God, in His sovereign power, withdrew His divine protection and actively permitted their enemies to prevail, thereby turning their adversaries into instruments of His righteous discipline. Samuel’s message profoundly countered the notion that their struggles were simply external military or political failures; instead, they stemmed directly from Israel's broken covenant relationship. He was emphasizing that Israel's true security and success depended entirely on remembering and obeying God, not on any earthly king or military might. The cycles of oppression in Judges, culminating in these examples, serve as a stern warning: future well-being under an earthly king would still be contingent upon faithfulness to the Divine King.