1 Samuel 12:13

13 "Now therefore, ¹here is the king whom you have chosen, ²whom you have asked for, and behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

1 Samuel 12:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:13

Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye
have desired
For though God chose their king for them, it was at their request; they chose to have a king, and desired one, and they approved of and consented to, and confirmed the choice he had made, and so it was in effect their own:

and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you;
he gratified them in their desires; though he did not suffer them to make themselves a king, he suffered them to have one, and he gave them one; this power he reserved to himself of setting up and pulling down kings at his pleasure.

1 Samuel 12:13 In-Context

11 "Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.

12 "When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' although the LORD your God was your king.

13 "Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

14 "If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD , then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God.

15 "If you will not listen to the voice of the LORD , but rebel against the command of the LORD , then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 10:24
• 2. 1 Samuel 8:5; 1 Samuel 12:17, 19; Hosea 13:11