1 Samuel 12:20 Komentář

We left the general assembly of the states together, in the close of the foregoing chapter; in this chapter we have Samuel's speech to them, when he resigned the government into the hands of Saul, in which, I. He clears himself from all suspicion or imputation of mismanagement, while the administration was in his hands (Sa1 12:1-5). II. He reminds them of the great things God had done for them and for their fathers (Sa1 12:6-13). III. He sets before them good and evil, the blessing and the curse (Sa1 12:14, Sa1 12:15). IV. He awakens them to regard what he said to them, by calling to God for thunder (Sa1 12:16-19). V. He encourages them with hopes that all should be well (Sa1 12:20-25). This is his farewell sermon to that august assembly and Saul's coronation sermon.

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 12 In this chapter Samuel, resigning the government to Saul, asserts the integrity with which he had performed his office, and calls upon the people of Israel to attest it, who did, Sa1 12:1, he then reminds them of the great and good things the Lord had done for them in times past, Sa1 12:6 and whereas they had desired a king, and one was given them, it was their interest to fear and serve the Lord; if not, his hand would be against them, Sa1 12:10 he terrifies them by calling for thunder in an unusual time, Sa1 12:16 and then comforts and encourages them, that in doing their duty God would be with them, and not forsake them, otherwise they might expect nothing but ruin and destruction, Sa1 12:20.

And Samuel said unto the people, fear not,.... Being destroyed by the tempest: ye have done all this wickedness; in asking a king; that is, though they were guilty of so heinous a sin, yet there were grace and mercy with God, and they should not despair of it, so be it that they did not depart from him, but cordially served him; the Targum is,"ye have been the cause of all this evil;''the storm of thunder and rain; and though they had, he would not have them despond or indulge slavish fear: yet turn not aside from following the Lord; the worship of the Lord, as the Targum; provided they did not depart from the Lord, and forsake his worship, word, and ordinances, they need not fear utter ruin and destruction, though they had been guilty of this sin: but serve the Lord with all your heart; if their service of God was kept up, and was hearty and sincere, they might still expect things would go well with them.

"And Samuel said: Do not fear. You have done all this evil. Nevertheless, do not turn aside from following the Lord. And serve the Lord with all your heart." 11. The mind of the penitent is then rightly directed if it fears the divine judgments and trusts in the mercy of almighty God. Fear without hope indeed casts one headlong into despair, but when it is joined with hope, it works the salvation of the mind. Therefore the excellent teacher must watch with the utmost zeal to terrify the one who sins, and to lead the one who has been terrified back to the hope of pardon: so that through fear he may cease to sin, and through hope of obtaining forgiveness, he may seek the harbor of divine mercy. Samuel, therefore, raising his terrified subjects to the virtue of hope, says: "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord." As if to say: If you cease to sin, you can more quickly arrive at obtaining pardon for what you have committed. Do not therefore turn aside from following the Lord. Concerning the praise of the just, it is promised: "For you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways" (Luke 1:76). Hence Elijah says: "The Lord lives, in whose sight I stand" (1 Kings 17:1). Hence the Psalmist says: "Let the just exult in the sight of God" (Psalm 68:4). To stand in the sight of the Lord, or before the Lord, is to presume upon the love of the Creator by the testimony of a good conscience. Those indeed stand in His sight who, by the merit of great action, are secure in the heavenly grace of their Creator. But sinners, when they commit evil, flee from the face of the Lord; yet when they resolve to return through penance, they are, as it were, behind the Lord's back: because they neither wish to depart further, and yet cannot presume upon God as friends. Hence it is that the sinful woman is said to have stood behind Him, so that she might deserve to kiss the Lord's feet (Luke 7:38). Behind Him also stood that woman who touched the hem of His garment and deserved to be healed of her flow of blood (Matthew 9:20). She stands behind indeed out of shame for her sin, but she touches through the power of hope. Because, therefore, we must always blush for the iniquities we have committed, and avoid those things in which we are confounded, Samuel commands sinners not to turn aside from following the Lord. But because it is not sufficient for the conversion of a sinner that he merely not commit sins, he subsequently added: "And serve the Lord with all your heart." 12. For we can merit pardon when we cease to sin and devote ourselves to good works. To serve the Lord with the whole heart is to retain no intention of sinning in the heart. The whole heart is bent to the service of the Creator when we so perform good deeds that we hold fast to no evil by deliberate purpose.

Samuel, grown old, testifies his integrity before the people, which they confirm, Sa1 12:1-5. He reproves them for their ingratitude and disobedience; and gives a summary of the history of their fathers, Sa1 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, Sa1 12:13-19. He warns them against idolatry, and exhorts to obedience, and promises to intercede for them, Sa1 12:20-23. Sums up their duty, and concludes with a solemn warning, Sa1 12:24, Sa1 12:25.

Ye have done all this wickedness - That is, although ye have done all this wickedness: what was past God would pass by, provided they would be obedient in future.

SAMUEL TESTIFIES HIS INTEGRITY. (Sa1 12:1-5) 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.

Samuel's Address at the Renewal of the Monarchy - 1 Samuel 12 Samuel closed this solemn confirmation of Saul as king with an address to all Israel, in which he handed over the office of judge, which he had hitherto filled, to the king, who had been appointed by God and joyfully recognised by the people. The good, however, which Israel expected from the king depended entirely upon both the people and their king maintaining that proper attitude towards the Lord with which the prosperity of Israel was ever connected. This truth the prophet felt impelled to impress most earnestly upon the hearts of all the people on this occasion. To this end he reminded them, that neither he himself, in the administration of his office, nor the Lord in His guidance of Israel thus far, had given the people any reason for asking a king when the Ammonites invaded the land (Sa1 12:1-12). Nevertheless the Lord had given them a king, and would not withdraw His hand from them, if they would only fear Him and confess their sin (Sa1 12:13-15). This address was then confirmed by the Lord at Samuel's desire, through a miraculous sign (Sa1 12:16-18); whereupon Samuel gave to the people, who were terrified by the miracle and acknowledged their sin, the comforting promise that the Lord would not forsake His people for His great name's sake, and then closed his address with the assurance of his continued intercession, and a renewed appeal to them to serve the Lord with faithfulness (Sa1 12:19-25). With this address Samuel laid down his office as judge, but without therefore ceasing as prophet to represent the people before God, and to maintain the rights of God in relation to the king. In this capacity he continued to support the king with his advice, until he was compelled to announce his rejection on account of his repeated rebellion against the commands of the Lord, and to anoint David as his successor.

Samuel thereupon announced to them first of all, that the Lord would not forsake His people for His great name's sake, if they would only serve Him with uprightness. In order, however, to give no encouragement to any false trust in the covenant faithfulness of the Lord, after the comforting words, "Fear not," he told them again very decidedly that they had done wrong, but that now they were not to turn away from the Lord, but to serve Him with all their heart, and not go after vain idols. To strengthen this admonition, he repeats the תּסוּרוּ לא in Sa1 12:21, with the explanation, that in turning from the Lord they would fall away to idols, which could not bring them either help or deliverance. To the כּי after תּסוּרוּ the same verb must be supplied from the context: "Do not turn aside (from the Lord), for (ye turn aside) after that which is vain." התּהוּ, the vain, worthless thing, signifies the false gods. This will explain the construction with a plural: "which do not profit and do not save, because they are emptiness" (tohu), i.e., worthless beings (elilim, Lev 19:4; cf. Isa 44:9 and Jer 16:19).