Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 12

Verses 1-25

1 Samuel 12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

1 Samuel 12:17 Comments - The Lord sent rain during the harvest as a sign of his displeasure (Proverbs 26:1).

Proverbs 26:1, “As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest , so honour is not seemly for a fool.”

1 Samuel 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

1 Samuel 12:22 “For the Lord will not forsake his people” - Comments - Note that the Lord will forsake those who forsake him (Deuteronomy 31:16-17, 1 Samuel 12:25, 2Ch 15:2 ; 2 Chronicles 24:20, Psalms 37:25, Hebrews 13:5).

1 Samuel 12:25, “But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.”

Deuteronomy 31:16-17, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?”

2 Chronicles 15:2, “And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.”

2 Chronicles 24:20, “And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.”

Psalms 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

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:

1 Samuel 12:23 “God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you” Comments - As God’s leader over His people, Samuel was responsible to intercede for their sins.

1 Samuel 12:23 “but I will teach you the good and the right way” Comments - The second responsibility of Samuel was to teach God’s people about God’s Holy Word.

1 Samuel 12:23 Comments - Why is a passage about prayer mentioned after 1 Samuel 12:23? The reason is that there is a need for intercession for nations. For example, God would have destroyed Israel in wilderness twice, but for Moses’ intercession.