1 Samuel 12

Samuel defends his integrity, recounts Israel's history of rebellion against YHWH despite past deliverances through judges like Jerubbaal and Jephthah, warns that obedience to YHWH and the king brings blessing while disobedience brings judgment, and calls down a thunderstorm during wheat harvest to underscore the sin of demanding a king.[1][2]

Interlinear Text

Verse 2 וְ/עַתָּ֞ה 𐤅/𐤏𐤕𐤄 veatah and-now and now (at this time) HC/D הִנֵּ֥ה 𐤄𐤍𐤄 hineh behold Look! HTm הַ/מֶּ֣לֶךְ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe the-king the king HTd/Ncmsa מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ 𐤌𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤊 mitehalekhe walking one walking himself about HVtrmsa לִ/פְנֵי/כֶ֗ם 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉/𐤊𐤌 lifeneykhem before-you to your faces HR/Ncbpc/Sp2mp וַ/אֲנִי֙ 𐤅/𐤀𐤍𐤉 vaani Ine (Bemba) and-I and I myself HC/Pp1cs זָקַ֣נְתִּי 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤕𐤉 zaqaneti I-have-grown-old I have grown old HVqp1cs וָ/שַׂ֔בְתִּי 𐤅/𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤉 vasaveti and-gray-headed and I grew gray-haired HC/Vqp1cs וּ/בָנַ֖/י 𐤅/𐤁𐤍/𐤉 uvanay Bene (Bemba) and-my-sons and-my-builder-sons HC/Ncmpc/Sp1cs הִנָּ֣/ם 𐤄𐤍/𐤌 hinam behold-they Behold them! HTm/Sp3mp אִתְּ/כֶ֑ם 𐤀𐤕/𐤊𐤌 itekhem with-you in nearness with you (plural masculine) HR/Sp2mp וַ/אֲנִי֙ 𐤅/𐤀𐤍𐤉 vaani-2 Ine (Bemba) and-I and I myself HC/Pp1cs הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי 𐤄𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤕𐤉 hitehalakheti I-have-walked I walked myself about HVtp1cs לִ/פְנֵי/כֶ֔ם 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉/𐤊𐤌 lifeneykhem-2 before-you to your faces HR/Ncbpc/Sp2mp מִ/נְּעֻרַ֖/י 𐤌/𐤍𐤏𐤓/𐤉 mineuray from-my-youth from my youth-days HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs עַד 𐤏𐤃 ad until up to the boundary of HR הַ/יּ֥וֹם 𐤄/𐤉𐤅𐤌 hayom the-day the hot-day HTd/Ncmsa הַ/זֶּֽה 𐤄/𐤆𐤄 hazeh this this (masculine singular one) HTd/Pdxms
Verse 3 הִנְ/נִ֣י 𐤄𐤍/𐤍𐤉 hineni here I am Look—here I am! HTm/Sp1cs עֲנ֣וּ 𐤏𐤍𐤅 anu testify they responded HVqv2mp בִ/י֩ 𐤁/𐤉 vi against me HR/Sp1cs נֶ֨גֶד 𐤍𐤂𐤃 neged before in front of HR יְהוָ֜ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וְ/נֶ֣גֶד 𐤅/𐤍𐤂𐤃 veneged and before and in front of HC/R מְשִׁיח֗/וֹ 𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤇/𐤅 meshicho his anointed his anointed one HNcmsc/Sp3ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] (definite object-marker) HTo שׁוֹר֩ 𐤔𐤅𐤓 shor ox a bull HNcmsc מִ֨י 𐤌𐤉 mi whose who? HTi לָקַ֜חְתִּי 𐤋𐤒𐤇𐤕𐤉 laqacheti have I taken I took HVqp1cs וַ/חֲמ֧וֹר 𐤅/𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤓 vachamor or donkey and a red-dun male-donkey HC/Ncbsc מִ֣י 𐤌𐤉 mi-2 whose who? HTi לָקַ֗חְתִּי 𐤋𐤒𐤇𐤕𐤉 laqacheti-2 have I taken I took HVqp1cs וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet or [et] and (the very) HC/To מִ֤י 𐤌𐤉 mi-3 whom who? HTi עָשַׁ֨קְתִּי֙ 𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤕𐤉 ashaqeti have I oppressed I have oppressed HVqp1cs אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 [direct object marker] (definite object-marker) HTo מִ֣י 𐤌𐤉 mi-4 whom who? HTi רַצּ֔וֹתִי 𐤓𐤑𐤅𐤕𐤉 ratsoti have I defrauded I have crushed HVqp1cs וּ/מִ/יַּד 𐤅/𐤌/𐤉𐤃 umiyad or from hand and from the hand of HC/R/Ncbsc מִי֙ 𐤌𐤉 mi-5 whose who? HTi לָקַ֣חְתִּי 𐤋𐤒𐤇𐤕𐤉 laqacheti-3 have I taken I took HVqp1cs כֹ֔פֶר 𐤊𐤐𐤓 khofer bribe covering-ransom HNcmsa וְ/אַעְלִ֥ים 𐤅/𐤀𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌 veaelim and I will blind and I will cause to be hidden HC/Vhi1cs עֵינַ֖/י 𐤏𐤉𐤍/𐤉 eynay my eyes my eyes HNcbdc/Sp1cs בּ֑/וֹ 𐤁/𐤅 bo with it HR/Sp3ms וְ/אָשִׁ֖יב 𐤅/𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤁 veashiv and I will restore and I will cause to turn back HC/Vhi1cs לָ/כֶֽם 𐤋/𐤊𐤌 lakhem to you HR/Sp2mp
Verse 8 כַּֽ/אֲשֶׁר 𐤊/𐤀𐤔𐤓 kaasher as that-which-is-suitable HR/Tr בָּ֥א 𐤁𐤀 ba went he came HVqp3ms יַעֲקֹ֖ב 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 yaaqov Jacob Heel-Catcher (Jacob) HNp מִצְרָ֑יִם 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 mitserayim to Egypt Mitsrayim (the Double Narrow-Place) HNp וַ/יִּזְעֲק֤וּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤆𐤏𐤒𐤅 vayizeaqu and cried out and they cried out in anguish HC/Vqw3mp אֲבֽוֹתֵי/כֶם֙ 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤕𐤉/𐤊𐤌 avoteykhem your fathers your fathers HNcmpc/Sp2mp אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR יְהוָ֔ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֨ח 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇 vayishelach and sent and he sent forth HC/Vqw3ms יְהוָ֜ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-2 Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] (definite object-marker) HTo מֹשֶׁ֣ה 𐤌𐤔𐤄 mosheh Moses Drawn-Out-One HNp וְ/אֶֽת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet and [direct object marker] and (the very) HC/To אַהֲרֹ֗ן 𐤀𐤄𐤓𐤍 aharon Aaron Aharon HNp וַ/יּוֹצִ֤יאוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤅𐤑𐤉𐤀𐤅 vayotsiu and they brought out and they caused to go out HC/Vhw3mp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 [direct object marker] (definite object-marker) HTo אֲבֹֽתֵי/כֶם֙ 𐤀𐤁𐤕𐤉/𐤊𐤌 avoteykhem-2 your fathers your fathers HNcmpc/Sp2mp מִ/מִּצְרַ֔יִם 𐤌/𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 mimitserayim from Egypt from Mitsrayim (the Double-Narrow-Place) HR/Np וַ/יֹּשִׁב֖וּ/ם 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤅/𐤌 vayoshivum and made them dwell and they caused them to settle HC/Vhw3mp/Sp3mp בַּ/מָּק֥וֹם 𐤁/𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 bamaqom in the place in the standing-place HRd/Ncmsa הַ/זֶּֽה 𐤄/𐤆𐤄 hazeh this this (masculine singular one) HTd/Pdxms
Verse 9 וַֽ/יִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤇𐤅 vayishekechu and they forgot and they forgot HC/Vqw3mp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et direct object marker (definite object-marker) HTo יְהוָ֣ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp אֱלֹהֵי/הֶ֑ם 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉/𐤄𐤌 eloheyhem Mulimu (Lozi) their God their mighty powers HNcmpc/Sp3mp וַ/יִּמְכֹּ֣ר 𐤅/𐤉𐤌𐤊𐤓 vayimekor and he sold and he handed over for sale HC/Vqw3ms אֹתָ֡/ם 𐤀𐤕/𐤌 otam them these same ones (m.p.) HTo/Sp3mp בְּ/יַ֣ד 𐤁/𐤉𐤃 beyad into the hand of in the hand of HR/Ncbsc סִֽיסְרָא֩ 𐤎𐤉𐤎𐤓𐤀 sisera Sisera Sisera (masculine singular proper name) HNp שַׂר 𐤔𐤓 sar commander ruling-chief of HNcmsc צְבָ֨א 𐤑𐤁𐤀 tseva of the army assembled host of HNcbsc חָצ֜וֹר 𐤇𐤑𐤅𐤓 chatsor of Hazor Enclosure-Settlement (Hazor) HNp וּ/בְ/יַד 𐤅/𐤁/𐤉𐤃 uveyad and into the hand of and in the hand of HC/R/Ncbsc פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים 𐤐𐤋𐤔𐤕𐤉𐤌 pelishetim Philistines Invader-men (Pelishtites) HNgmpa וּ/בְ/יַד֙ 𐤅/𐤁/𐤉𐤃 uveyad-2 and into the hand of and in the hand of HC/R/Ncbsc מֶ֣לֶךְ 𐤌𐤋𐤊 melekhe king king HNcmsc מוֹאָ֔ב 𐤌𐤅𐤀𐤁 moav of Moab From-Father HNp וַ/יִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤅 vayilachamu and they fought and they engaged in devouring battle HC/VNw3mp בָּֽ/ם 𐤁/𐤌 bam against them HR/Sp3mp
Verse 10 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֤וּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤆𐤏𐤒𐤅 vayizeaqu and they cried out and they cried out in anguish HC/Vqw3mp אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR יְהוָה֙ 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp ו/יאמר 𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 vymr and he said and he declared HC/Vqw3ms וַ/יֹּאמְר֣וּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 vayomeru and they said and the-masculine-plural said HC/Vqw3mp חָטָ֔אנוּ 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤍𐤅 chatanu we have sinned we have missed the mark HVqp1cp כִּ֤י 𐤊𐤉 ki because for (as reason or ground) HC עָזַ֨בְנוּ֙ 𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤍𐤅 azavenu we have forsaken we have relinquished HVqp1cp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] (definite object-marker) HTo יְהוָ֔ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-2 Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וַ/נַּעֲבֹ֥ד 𐤅/𐤍𐤏𐤁𐤃 vanaavod and served and we served HC/Vqw1cp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 [direct object marker] (definite object-marker) HTo הַ/בְּעָלִ֖ים 𐤄/𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌 habealim the Baals the Master-Lords (the Baals) HTd/Np וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet and [direct object marker] and (the very) HC/To הָ/עַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת 𐤄/𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤕 haashetarot the Ashtaroth the Ashtaroths HTd/Np וְ/עַתָּ֗ה 𐤅/𐤏𐤕𐤄 veatah and now and now (at this time) HC/D הַצִּילֵ֛/נוּ 𐤄𐤑𐤉𐤋/𐤍𐤅 hatsilenu deliver us Snatch us away! HVhv2ms/Sp1cp מִ/יַּ֥ד 𐤌/𐤉𐤃 miyad from the hand of from the hand of HR/Ncbsc אֹיְבֵ֖י/נוּ 𐤀𐤉𐤁𐤉/𐤍𐤅 oyeveynu our enemies those hating us HVqrmpc/Sp1cp וְ/נַעַבְדֶֽ/ךָּ 𐤅/𐤍𐤏𐤁𐤃/𐤊 venaavedekha and we will serve you and we will serve you HC/Vqi1cp/Sp2ms
Verse 14 אִם 𐤀𐤌 im If if HC תִּֽירְא֣וּ 𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤅 tireu tina (Bemba) you fear you (masculine plural) shall stand in awe HVqi2mp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et the (definite object-marker) HTo יְהוָ֗ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וַ/עֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם 𐤅/𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤕𐤌 vaavadetem and serve and you all served HC/Vqq2mp אֹת/וֹ֙ 𐤀𐤕/𐤅 oto him him HTo/Sp3ms וּ/שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם 𐤅/𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤕𐤌 ushemaetem and obey and you all shall hear and heed HC/Vqq2mp בְּ/קֹל֔/וֹ 𐤁/𐤒𐤋/𐤅 beqolo his voice in his voice HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms וְ/לֹ֥א 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo and not and not HC/Tn תַמְר֖וּ 𐤕𐤌𐤓𐤅 tameru rebel you (masculine plural) made-bitter HVhi2mp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 against (definite object-marker) HTo פִּ֣י 𐤐𐤉 pi the mouth of mouth-of HNcmsc יְהוָ֑ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-2 Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וִ/הְיִתֶ֣ם 𐤅/𐤄𐤉𐤕𐤌 viheyitem then you will be and you-all shall come-to-be HC/Vqq2mp גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam both also HTa אַתֶּ֗ם 𐤀𐤕𐤌 atem you you (masculine plural) HPp2mp וְ/גַם 𐤅/𐤂𐤌 vegam and also and also HC/Ta הַ/מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe the king the king HTd/Ncmsa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher who that-which HTr מָלַ֣ךְ 𐤌𐤋𐤊 malakhe reigns he became king HVqp3ms עֲלֵי/כֶ֔ם 𐤏𐤋𐤉/𐤊𐤌 aleykhem over you upon you men HR/Sp2mp אַחַ֖ר 𐤀𐤇𐤓 achar following after, behind HR יְהוָ֥ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-3 Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp אֱלֹהֵי/כֶֽם 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉/𐤊𐤌 eloheykhem Mulimu (Lozi) your God your mighty ones HNcmpc/Sp2mp
Verse 17 הֲ/ל֤וֹא 𐤄/𐤋𐤅𐤀 halo Is it not not HTi/Tn קְצִיר 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 qetsir harvest the cutting-harvest of HNcmsc חִטִּים֙ 𐤇𐤈𐤉𐤌 chitim of wheat wheat-grains HNcfpa הַ/יּ֔וֹם 𐤄/𐤉𐤅𐤌 hayom today the hot-day HTd/Ncmsa אֶקְרָא֙ 𐤀𐤒𐤓𐤀 eqera I will call I call out HVqi1cs אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR יְהוָ֔ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וְ/יִתֵּ֥ן 𐤅/𐤉𐤕𐤍 veyiten and he will give and he will give HC/Vqi3ms קֹל֖וֹת 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤕 qolot thunder voices HNcmpa וּ/מָטָ֑ר 𐤅/𐤌𐤈𐤓 umatar and rain and rain HC/Ncmsa וּ/דְע֣וּ 𐤅/𐤃𐤏𐤅 udeu and know and know, you men! HC/Vqv2mp וּ/רְא֗וּ 𐤅/𐤓𐤀𐤅 ureu and see and you all see! HC/Vqv2mp כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki that for (as reason or ground) HC רָעַתְ/כֶ֤ם 𐤓𐤏𐤕/𐤊𐤌 raatekhem your wickedness your evil HNcfsc/Sp2mp רַבָּה֙ 𐤓𐤁𐤄 rabah is great great (feminine singular); she/it became great HAafsa אֲשֶׁ֤ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher which that-which HTr עֲשִׂיתֶם֙ 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤌 asitem you have done you have caused-to-be HVqp2mp בְּ/עֵינֵ֣י 𐤁/𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 beeyney in the eyes of in the eyes of HR/Ncbdc יְהוָ֔ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-2 Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp לִ/שְׁא֥וֹל 𐤋/𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤋 lisheol in asking to inquire / to ask HR/Vqc לָ/כֶ֖ם 𐤋/𐤊𐤌 lakhem for yourselves HR/Sp2mp מֶֽלֶךְ 𐤌𐤋𐤊 melekhe a king king HNcmsa
Verse 19 וַ/יֹּאמְר֨וּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 vayomeru and they said and the-masculine-plural said HC/Vqw3mp כָל 𐤊𐤋 khal all the whole, all, every HNcmsc הָ/עָ֜ם 𐤄/𐤏𐤌 haam the people the gathered people HTd/Ncmsa אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל 𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤀𐤋 shemuel Samuel Heard-of-El HNp הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל 𐤄𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤋 hitepalel pray you (masculine singular) interceded in self-judgment HVtv2ms בְּעַד 𐤁𐤏𐤃 bead for through/behind up to HR עֲבָדֶ֛י/ךָ 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉/𐤊 avadeykha your servants your serving-men HNcmpc/Sp2ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el-2 to toward HR יְהוָ֥ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp אֱלֹהֶ֖י/ךָ 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉/𐤊 eloheykha Mulimu (Lozi) your God your gods HNcmpc/Sp2ms וְ/אַל 𐤅/𐤀𐤋 veal and not and let not HC/Tn נָמ֑וּת 𐤍𐤌𐤅𐤕 namut we die we will die HVqh1cp כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki for for (as reason or ground) HC יָסַ֤פְנוּ 𐤉𐤎𐤐𐤍𐤅 yasafenu we have added we have added on HVqp1cp עַל 𐤏𐤋 al to upon (up-over) HR כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal all whole-of HNcmsc חַטֹּאתֵ֨י/נוּ֙ 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉/𐤍𐤅 chatoteynu our sins our missings HNcfpc/Sp1cp רָעָ֔ה 𐤓𐤏𐤄 raah evil calamity HNcfsa לִ/שְׁאֹ֥ל 𐤋/𐤔𐤀𐤋 lisheol to ask to inquire / to ask HR/Vqc לָ֖/נוּ 𐤋/𐤍𐤅 lanu for us HR/Sp1cp מֶֽלֶךְ 𐤌𐤋𐤊 melekhe a king king HNcmsa
Verse 20 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר 𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 vayomer And Samuel said and he declared HC/Vqw3ms שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל 𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤀𐤋 shemuel Samuel Heard-of-El HNp אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR הָ/עָם֙ 𐤄/𐤏𐤌 haam the people the gathered people HTd/Ncmsa אַל 𐤀𐤋 al not upon, over (down-upon) HTn תִּירָ֔אוּ 𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤅 tirau tina (Bemba) fear you shall fear HVqj2mp אַתֶּ֣ם 𐤀𐤕𐤌 atem you you (masculine plural) HPp2mp עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤌 asitem have done you have caused-to-be HVqp2mp אֵ֥ת 𐤀𐤕 et (definite object-marker) HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal all whole-of HNcmsc הָ/רָעָ֖ה 𐤄/𐤓𐤏𐤄 haraah the evil the badness HTd/Ncfsa הַ/זֹּ֑את 𐤄/𐤆𐤀𐤕 hazot this this (feminine singular) HTd/Pdxfs אַ֗ךְ 𐤀𐤊 akhe only surely, only HTa אַל 𐤀𐤋 al-2 not upon, over (down-upon) HTn תָּס֨וּרוּ֙ 𐤕𐤎𐤅𐤓𐤅 tasuru turn away you men will turn aside HVqj2mp מֵ/אַחֲרֵ֣י 𐤌/𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉 meacharey from after from behind HR/R יְהוָ֔ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp וַ/עֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם 𐤅/𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤕𐤌 vaavadetem and serve and you all served HC/Vqq2mp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 (definite object-marker) HTo יְהוָ֖ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-2 Nyambe (Lozi) YHWH the Being One HNp בְּ/כָל 𐤁/𐤊𐤋 bekhal in all in all HR/Ncmsc לְבַבְ/כֶֽם 𐤋𐤁𐤁/𐤊𐤌 levavekhem your heart your (masculine plural) inner heart HNcmsc/Sp2mp