1 Samuel 12:19

1Sa 12:19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.

Ver. 19. Pray … that we die not.] As they now feared they should, so terrible was the tempest: but good Samuel prayed it down again likely, when the people were thoroughly humbled. It is well observed that they say, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God; they say not, the Lord our God: for they might fear they had now forfeited their interest, and that they were discovenanted.

For we have added unto all our sins.] By occasion of this sin, they came to the sight and recognition of many more. Our lives are as full of sins as the firmament is of stars, or the furnace of sparks.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa_12:19

Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God.

Intercessory prayer

1. This Lesson contains Samuels official farewell to the people--that is, as Judge. There is something touching in all farewells. Retirement from long and distinguished service has ever a shade of melancholy; it reminds us of the transitoriness of human life and human greatness.

2. There was one link with the old Judge which they were anxious to retain. The king might rule them in times of peace, and go forth with them as leader in times of war; he might be the representative of national unity and the keystone of national greatness; but it was to Samuel they turned when they wanted to be remembered before God. With one voice they besought him, Pray for thy servants, etc.

I. The request. Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not.

1. It is the language of fear. The people were terrified with the thunder and rain. God had shown His displeasure by this sign

2. It is the language of faith. Samuels power as an intercessor with God was a recognised fact. It was not the discovery of a passing emotion.

3. It may not be presumptuous to inquire wherein his great strength in this respect lieth. First, his vocation as a prophet brought him very near to God. Secondly, the office without the life is not of much avail. Samuel lived for God, and it appears that, according to the degree of sanctity to which individuals attain, so is the efficacy of their intercessions.

II. The reasons for this request. Their sense of sin in having asked for a king. They feared death, lest a glittering flash of lightning--a symbol of Divine wrath--should at once consume them.

1. What was their fault? Viewed in reference to Samuel, it was ingratitude.

2. But, regarded in reference to God, the asking for a king was a rejection of His direct rule. (1Sa_8:7).

3. Yet, what, looked at on the side of the spontaneous action of Gods people, was a grave fault--wickedness; when viewed in relation to the course of events, was a result of a variety of causes.

4. But God can bring good out of evil. The formation of a kingdom was in His providence overruled to the ultimate fulfilment of His designs. Through it looms the kingdom of Christ and Christ the King, and, with the realised unity of the nation under a king, the carrying out of the Levitical Law as to one sanctuary; and in the temple, which was a result of this change, and its service and its Psalter, we have an image of the Catholic Church and her solemn ritual to the end of time.

III. Lessons.

1. To quicken our belief in the efficacy of intercessory prayer.

2. To remember that Christ is our invisible King and the Head of His Church; and that obedience to an outward rule must be accompanied by inward obedience, for though the kingdom of God, that is, the Church, is visible, yet it is also an inward kingdom of righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost. (The Thinker.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 12:19-21. The Lord thy God — Whom thou hast so great an interest in, while we are ashamed and afraid to call him our God. Fear not — With a desponding fear, as if there are no hope left for you. But turn not ye aside — After idols, as they had often done before, and, notwithstanding this warning, did afterward. Vain things — So idols are called Deu 32:21, Jer 2:5; and so they are, being mere nothings, having no power in them, no influence upon us, nor being of any use or benefit to us.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12:19 The people asked Samuel to intercede for them (see also 7:8) rather than praying themselves probably because they were out of fellowship with God (note the use of your God rather than “our God”). • added to our sins: The sins included idol worship (12:21; see study note on 8:8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Not only at other times, but now chiefly.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 19. Pray for thy servants - that we die not] As they knew they had rebelled against God, they saw that they had every thing to fear from his justice and power.

We have added unto all our sins this evil] It is no sin to have a king; a good king is one of the greatest blessings of God's providence; but it is a sin to put a man in the place of God. Is it not strange that they did not now attempt to repair their fault? They might have done it, but they did not; they acknowledged their sin, but did not put it away. This is the general way of mankind. "God help us, we are all sinners!" is the general language of all people: but though to be a sinner is to be in the most solemn and awful circumstances, yet they are contented to bear the character, heedless of the consequences!

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Pray for thy servants] See note on 1Sa_7:5.

this evil] Wickedness: the same word as in 1Sa_12:17; 1Sa_12:20.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And all the people said unto Samuel, During the tempest, and in the midst of it; it was the general cry of the people, they were unanimous in it:

pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not; though they had rejected him as their judge and supreme governor in desiring a king, now they were his humble servants, at least feignedly; and knowing what interest he had with God in prayer, they entreat him to make use of it on their behalf, who having sinned so greatly, had not the assurance to call the Lord their God, though they had no doubt of his being the God of Samuel, whose prayers he had heard, of which this tempest was a full proof; and was so violent, that if it continued, they were afraid they should be destroyed by the thunder and lightning, or they and their cattle, with the fruits of the earth, be washed away with the prodigious rain:

for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king; though Samuel had laid before them the evils and inconveniences of having a king, and had in the name of the Lord charged them with rejecting God as their king; yet nothing convinced them of their evil till this storm came, and then all their sins came fresh to their minds; and this added to the weight of them, and lay heaviest on them, that they had rejected the Lord, and slighted his prophets, and, notwithstanding all remonstrances, resolved on having a king.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And Samuel, at whose prayer the Lord had sent such a storm, lest he should punish them as they deserved. But the prophet alleviates their fears, and teaches them to refrain from idolatry, and he will still continue to perform his duty in praying for them, and giving them good advice. (Salien) --- The fear of God is increased by that which the people shew for his servants.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Pray for thy servants; for so we shall still own ourselves to be, though we have got another master.

Unto the Lord thy God, whom thou hast so great an interest in, and canst so easily prevail with for any mercy, whilst we are ashamed and afraid to call him our God, because we have so highly offended him.

That we die not; that this terrible storm may be taken away, lest our persons and the fruits of the earth be all destroyed.

To ask us a king: so horribly were they biassed with their prejudices and passions, that nothing but a miracle could convince them of this particular sin.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Pray for thy servants. On Samuel"s mediatorial office see 1Sa_7:5, 1Sa_7:8.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thy God - Whom thou hast so great an interest in, while we are ashamed and afraid to call him our God.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

so that we do not die

The ultimate punishment for sin is death. The nation of Israel had seen Yahweh destroy the nations that had oppressed them. They were concerned that they had become "dedicated for destruction" like those nations.

Do not be afraid

The people did evil and were afraid of God destroying them. AT: "Do not be afraid that God will be angry and destroy you because of this sin" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

turn away after empty things

"pursue worship of false gods"

translationWords

pray

Yahweh

God

die

sin

fear

turn

heart

profit

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.