1 Samuel 12 · Verse 19

1 Samuel 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.
1 Samuel 12:19, King James Version

1 Samuel 12:19 in other translations

BSBThey pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”
WEBAll the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.”
ASVAnd all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
YLTand all the people say unto Samuel, ‘Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, and we do not die, for we have added to all our sins evil to ask for us a king.'
DARBYAnd all the people said to Samuel, Pray to Jehovah thy God for thy servants, that we die not; for we have added to all our sins the wickedness to ask for ourselves a king.
BBEAnd all the people said to Samuel, Make prayer for us to the Lord your God so that death may not overtake us: for in addition to all our sins we have done this evil, in desiring a king.
WebsterAnd all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

What does 1 Samuel 12:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 12:17-25

17-25. Is it not wheat harvest to-day?--That season in Palestine occurs at the end of June or beginning of July, when it seldom or never rains, and the sky is serene and cloudless. There could not, therefore, have been a stronger or more appropriate proof of a divine mission than the phenomenon of rain and thunder happening, without any prognostics of its approach, upon the prediction of a person professing himself…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 12:17-25 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
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, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 12:16-25

At Samuel's word, God sent thunder and rain, at a season of the year when, in that country, the like was not seen. This was to convince them they had done wickedly in asking a king; not only by its coming at an unusual time, in wheat harvest, and on a clear day, but by the prophet's giving notice of it before. He showed their folly in desiring a king to save them, rather than God, or Samuel; promising themselves…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 12:16-25 →

1 Samuel 12:19 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.

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
כָל\־khol-allH3605
הָעָ֜םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שְׁמוּאֵ֗לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
הִתְפַּלֵּ֧לhit.pa.LelprayH6419
בְּעַד\־be.'ad-forH1157
עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaservants yourH5650
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaGod yourH430
וְאַל\־ve.'al-and may notH408
נָמ֑וּתna.Mutwe dieH4191
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
יָסַ֤פְנוּya.Saf.nuwe have addedH3254
עַל\־'al-toH5921
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
חַטֹּאתֵ֙ינוּ֙cha.to.Tei.nusins ourH2403
רָעָ֔הra.'Ahan evil thingH7451
לִשְׁאֹ֥לlish.'Olby askingH7592
לָ֖נוּLa.nufor <the> ourselves
מֶֽלֶךְ\׃\ \סMe.lekha kingH4428

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 12:19

  • Exodus 9:28

    Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

  • 1 John 5:16

    If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

  • 1 Samuel 12:23

    Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

  • Exodus 10:17

    Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

  • 1 Samuel 7:5

    And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.

  • Acts 8:24

    Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

  • James 5:15

    And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

  • Jeremiah 15:1

    Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

  • 1 Samuel 7:8

    And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

  • Genesis 20:7

    Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

  • Malachi 1:9

    And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Isaiah 26:16

    Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pray for thy.
7:5,8; Ge 20:7; Ex 9:28; 10:17; Job 42:8; Ps 78:34,35; Isa 26:16
Mal 1:9; Ac 8:24; Jas 5:15; 1Jo 5:16

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 12:18

    So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

  • 1 Samuel 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.

  • 1 Samuel 12:20

    And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;

Read all of 1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel 12:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces dijo todo el pueblo á Samuel: Ruega por tus siervos á Jehová tu Dios, que no muramos: porque á todos nuestros pecados hemos añadido este mal de pedir rey para nosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et tout le peuple dit à Samuel: Prie l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, pour tes serviteurs, afin que nous ne mourions point; car, à tous nos péchés, nous avons ajouté ce mal d’avoir demandé un roi pour nous.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und das ganze Volk sprach zu Samuel: Bitte Jehova, deinen Gott, für deine Knechte, daß wir nicht sterben! Denn zu allen unseren Sünden haben wir das Böse hinzugefügt, einen König für uns zu begehren.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et timuit omnis populus nimis Dominum et Samuelem, et dixit universus populus ad Samuelem: Ora pro servis tuis ad Dominum Deum tuum, ut non moriamur: addidimus enim universis peccatis nostris malum, ut peteremus nobis regem.