1 Samuel 12:8-15 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:9

The hand of Sisera - See these transactions in the book of Judges, Judges 4:2 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:11

Jerubbaal - That is, Gideon. And Bedan: instead of Bedan, whose name occurs nowhere else as a judge or deliverer of Israel, the Septuagint have Barak; the same reading is found in the Syriac and Arabic. The Targum has Samson. Many commentators are of this opinion; but Calmet thinks that Jair is intended, who judged Israel twenty-two years, Judges 10:3 . Instead of Samuel the Syriac and Arabic have Samson; and it is most natural to suppose that Samuel does not mention himself in this place.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:12

When ye saw that Nahash - This was not the first time they had demanded a king; see before, 1 Samuel 8:5 . But at the crisis mentioned here they became more importunate; and it was in consequence of this that the kingdom was a second time confirmed to Saul. Saul was elected at Mizpeh, he was confirmed at Gilgal. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:14

If ye will fear the Lord , etc. - On condition that ye rebel no more, God will take you and your king under his merciful protection, and he and his kingdom shall be confirmed and continued. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:6-15

The immutable condition of well being. The facts are— 1 . Samuel, having shown his right to be heard, calls on the people to hearken to his argument. 2 . He refers to historic instances to show that trouble always came with unfaithfulness to God, and prosperity with a return to fidelity. 3 . He reminds them that their desire for a king implied distrust of God. 4 . Recognising the new order of things, he insists that the adversity or prosperity of the nation rested where it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:7-8

Stand still. Literally, station yourselves, take your places, stand forth (see 1 Samuel 10:23 ). That I may reason with you. Literally, "that I may deal as judge," i.e. that with all the authority of my office I may declare that Jehovah has acted justly by you, and that you have dealt unjustly with him. Righteous acts. The margin, benefits, is wrong. Samuel vindicates God's dealings with them against the charge of his having failed to protect them implied in their demand for a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:9

When they forgat Jehovah their God. The theocracy, as we have seen ( 1 Samuel 10:18 ), was a moral government, under which idolatry and the immorality attendant upon it, as being rebellion, were punished by Jehovah's withdrawing his protection, and the consequent subjection of the nation to foreign rule. It was the repeated sin, therefore, of the people which made Israel's history so checquered. Sisera ( 4:2 ), the Philistines ( 3:31 ), and Eaton, king of Moab. ( 3:12 ), are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:10

We have served [the] Baalim and [the] Ashtaroth . I.e. the numerous Baals and Astartes, which were worshipped under various titles by the heathen. For though representing the same power, each people had their own epithets for their own particular personification of the god (see on 1 Samuel 7:4 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:11

Bedan . Numerous ingenious explanations of this name have been given, but the only probable account is that Bedan is a misreading for Barak. The two names are very similar in the Hebrew, and the two most ancient versions, the Septuagint and the Syriac, actually have Barak. And Samuel. This is even more puzzling than Bedan. We cannot suppose that Samuel, who hitherto had confined himself to the old deliverances, would thus suddenly introduce his own name. In mentioning only them he had... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:12

Nahash the king of the children of Ammon. This makes it probable that there had been threats of war, and even incursions into the Israelite territory, by Nahash before his attack on Jabesh-Gilead. We thus, too, should be able to account for the rancour displayed in his wish so to treat the men of that town as to make them a reproach to all Israel; for his hatred of Israel may have grown in intensity in the course of a harassing war, or he may have learnt to despise a people incapable of... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 12:14

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:6-15

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:7-8

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:9

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:10

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:11

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 12:12

Group of Brands