Evening at Gilgal on the flat Jordan plain: a plain altar of uncut stones with a last thread of smoke, a quiet camp of tents, an old man’s staff leaning against the altar, the palms of Jericho and the hills of Moab beyond.

The Book of

1 Samuel 12

Old and gray, Samuel steps aside for the king. But first: whose ox has he taken? And thunder out of a cloudless harvest sky.

25 verses≈ 6 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–7SamuelA boy who listened
8–15SaulA king like the nationsChapter 12
16–20David risesThe LORD looks at the heart
21–27David huntedThe anointed one waits
28–31Saul fallsEndor and Gilboa

Samuel’s Farewell Address

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.

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Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

Samuel

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

The Israelites

“You have not cheated us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

Samuel

Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.”

The Israelites

“He is a witness,” they replied.

Question

Quick question

Before he stepped aside, Samuel put his own life on trial before the people.

What did Samuel ask the people to bear witness about?

Samuel

Samuel

Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.

Samuel

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.

1 Samuel 12:13

If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well. But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.

Two roads

Whiteboard

The king changes nothing about the covenant. People and king alike stand under the LORD. “If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice,” and the king follows Him too, “then all will be well.” But “if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command,” His hand will be against them as it was against their fathers, and at the end of the chapter Samuel says it plainly: “both you and your king will be swept away.”

Reflect

Consider what great things He has done

Samuel told Israel’s story from Egypt to that day so they would remember who had saved them. Write three things the LORD has done in your own story. Then write one way you will serve Him this week because of them.

Noon in the wheat harvest on the Jordan plain: reapers with sickles and sheaves in a field of ripe gold wheat, women binding sheaves, under a cloudless, hot, pale-blue sky.

Now, therefore, present yourselves and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”

The same harvest field under a sudden, towering black storm cloud, rain sweeping in gray curtains across the gold wheat, reapers running with sheaves in their arms, a fork of lightning far off.

So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

0:09

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

The Israelites

They 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.”

Samuel

“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

Samuel

Samuel

Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

First light on a low hilltop above the camp at Gilgal: old Samuel kneeling alone with his hands lifted, the tents and the plain below still in shadow.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

1 Samuel 12:24

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

Pray

For the sake of His great name

Samuel’s last word was hope: “for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.” Thank Him that His love does not rest on our record. Thank Him for leaders who never stop praying and teaching. Lord, I have added to my sins in many ways. Do not let me turn aside. Help me fear You and serve You faithfully with all my heart. Amen.

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1 Samuel 12

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A verse to carry with you

Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24

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