1 Samuel 12 · Verse 1

1 Samuel 12:1

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
1 Samuel 12:1, King James Version

1 Samuel 12:1 in other translations

BSBThen Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.
WEBSamuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
ASVAnd Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
YLTAnd Samuel saith unto all Israel, ‘Lo, I have hearkened to your voice, to all that ye said to me, and I cause to reign over you a king,
DARBYAnd Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you.
BBEAnd Samuel said to all Israel, You see that I have given ear to everything you said to me, and have made a king over you.
WebsterAnd Samuel said to all Israel, behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you.

What does 1 Samuel 12:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 12:1-4
1Sa 12:1-5. Samuel Testifies his Integrity. 1-4. Samuel said unto all Israel--This public address was made after the solemn re-instalment of Saul, and before the convention at Gilgal separated. Samuel, having challenged a review of his public life, received a unanimous testimony to the unsullied honor of his personal character, as well as the justice and integrity of his public administration.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Samuel, grown old, testifies his integrity before the people, which they confirm, 1Sam 12:1-5. He reproves them for their ingratitude and disobedience; and gives a summary of the history of their fathers, 1Sam 12:6-12. He exhorts them to future obedience, and calls for a sign from heaven to confirm his authority, and to show them their disobedience: God sends an extraordinary thunder and rain, 1Sam 12:13-19. He warns them against idolatry, and exhorts to obedience, and promises to intercede for them, 1Sam 12:20-23. Sums up their duty, and concludes with a solemn warning, 1Sam 12:24, 1Sam 12:25. Verse 1 And Samuel said - It is very likely that it was at this public meeting Samuel delivered the following address; no other time seems to be given for it, and this is the most proper that could be chosen.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 12:1-5
Samuel not only cleared his own character, but set an example before Saul, while he showed the people their ingratitude to God and to himself. There is a just debt which all men to their own good name, especially men in public stations, which is, to guard it against unjust blame and suspicions, that they may finish their course with honour, as well as with joy. And that we have in our places lived honestly, will be our comfort, under any slights and contempt that may be put upon us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 12:1 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 he saidH559
שְׁמוּאֵל֙she.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
אֶל\־'el-toH413
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
הִנֵּה֙hi.Nehhere!H2009
שָׁמַ֣עְתִּיsha.Ma'.tiI have listenedH8085
בְקֹֽלְכֶ֔םve.ko.le.Khemto voice yourH6963
לְכֹ֥לle.Kholto allH3605
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-thatH834
אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם'a.mar.Temyou have saidH559
לִ֑יLito <the> me
וָאַמְלִ֥יךְva.'am.Likhand I have made kingH4427
עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם'a.lei.Khemover youH5921
מֶֽלֶךְ\׃Me.lekha kingH4428

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 12:1

  • 1 Samuel 10:24

    And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

  • 1 Samuel 11:14-15

    Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

  • 1 Samuel 10:1

    Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

  • 1 Samuel 8:19-22

    Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

  • 1 Samuel 8:5-8

    And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Samuel testifies his integrity.
6 He reproves the people of ingratitude.
16 He terrifies them with thunder in harvest time.
20 he comforts them in God's mercy.

Behold.
8:5-8,19-22
have made.
10:1,24; 11:14,15

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 12:1

    And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

  • 1 Samuel 12:2

    And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

Read all of 1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel 12:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y DIJO Samuel á todo Israel: He aquí, yo he oído vuestra voz en todas las cosas que me habéis dicho, y os he puesto rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et Samuel dit à tout Israël: Voici, j’ai écouté votre voix en tout ce que vous m’avez dit, et j’ai établi un roi sur vous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Samuel sprach zu dem ganzen Israel: Siehe, ich habe auf eure Stimme gehört in allem, was ihr zu mir gesagt habt und habe einen König über euch gesetzt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit autem Samuel ad universum Israël: Ecce audivi vocem vestram juxta omnia quæ locuti estis ad me, et constitui super vos regem.