1 Samuel 12:15

15 But ¹if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then ²the hand of the LORD will be against you and ³your king.^[a]

1 Samuel 12:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:15

But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel
against the commandment of the Lord
They and their king, by sinning, disregarding his precepts, both affirmative and negative:

then shall the hand of the Lord be against you;
by sending some judgments upon them, as famine, sword, or pestilence, particularly captivity and subjection to their enemies:

as it was against your fathers;
who had no king; and it is suggested that their case, who had one, would be no better than theirs; their king would not be able to save them from the hand of God: the words in the original are, "and against your fathers" ^F13; which is interpreted in the Talmud ^F14 of their fathers dead, and in their graves, and of their enemies digging them up, and taking them out in contempt; but much better, by Kimchi, of their kings, who are, or should be, fathers of their subjects, as Augustus Caesar was called the father of his; and so the Septuagint version renders it, "and upon their king"; signifying that both they and their king should feel the weight of the hand of the Lord, if they rebelled against him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Mkytbabw) "et contra patres vestros", Pagninus, Tigurine version.
F14 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 63. 2.

1 Samuel 12:15 In-Context

13 And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

14 If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.

15 But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king.

16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.

17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king."

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 26:14, 15; Deuteronomy 28:15; Joshua 24:20
• 2. 1 Samuel 5:9
• 3. [ver. 9]

Footnotes

• [a]. Septuagint; Hebrew fathers