1 Samuel 11 · Verse 12

1 Samuel 11:12

And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
1 Samuel 11:12, King James Version

1 Samuel 11:12 in other translations

BSBThen the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Bring those men here so we can kill them!”
WEBThe people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”
ASVAnd the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
YLTAnd the people say unto Samuel, ‘Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.'
DARBYAnd the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
BBEAnd the people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, Is Saul to be our king? give the men up, so that we may put them to death.
WebsterAnd the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

What does 1 Samuel 11:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 11:12-15
12-15. the people said ..., Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us?--The enthusiastic admiration of the people, under the impulse of grateful and generous feelings, would have dealt summary vengeance on the minority who opposed Saul, had not he, either from principle or policy, shown himself as great in clemency as in valor. The calm and sagacious counsel of Samuel directed the popular feelings into a right channel, by appointing a general assembly of the militia, the really effective force of the nation, at Gilgal, where, amid great pomp and religious solemnities, the victorious leader was confirmed in his kingdom [1Sa 11:15].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign - Now, flushed with victory and proud of their leader, they wished to give him a proof of their attachment by slaying, even in cool blood, the persons who were at first averse from his being intrusted with the supreme power! The common soldier is scarcely ever inspired by his victory to acts of magnanimity; he has shed blood - he wishes to shed more!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 11:12-15
They now honoured Saul whom they had despised; and if an enemy be made a friend, that is more to our advantage than to have him slain. The once despised Saviour will at length be acknowledged by all as the Lord's own anointed king. As yet, upon his mercy-seat, he receives the submission of rebels, and even pleads their cause; but shortly, from his righteous tribunal, he will condemn all who persist in opposing him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 11:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand it saidH559
הָעָם֙ha.'Amthe peopleH5971
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
מִ֣יmiwho?H4310
הָאֹמֵ֔רha.'o.Mer[is] the [one who] saidH559
שָׁא֖וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
יִמְלֹ֣ךְyim.Lokhwill he reign?H4427
עָלֵ֑ינוּ'a.Lei.nuover usH5921
תְּנ֥וּte.Nudeliver upH5414
הָאֲנָשִׁ֖יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
וּנְמִיתֵֽם\׃u.ne.mi.Temso we may put to death themH4191

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 11:12

  • 1 Samuel 10:27

    But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

  • Luke 19:27

    But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

  • Psalms 21:8

    Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Who is he.
10:27; Ps 21:8; Lu 19:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 11:11

    And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

  • 1 Samuel 11:12

    And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

  • 1 Samuel 11:13

    And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.

Read all of 1 Samuel 11

1 Samuel 11:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El pueblo entonces dijo á Samuel: ¿Quiénes son lo que decían: Reinará Saúl sobre nosotros? Dad nos esos hombres, y los mataremos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le peuple dit à Samuel: Qui est-ce qui a dit: Saül régnera-t-il sur nous? Livrez ces hommes, et nous les ferons mourir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach das Volk zu Samuel: Wer ist es, der gesagt hat: Sollte Saul über uns regieren? Gebet die Männer her, daß wir sie töten!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait populus ad Samuelem: Quis est iste qui dixit: Saul num regnabit super nos? Date viros, et interficiemus eos.