King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
Complete Jewish Bible:
Sh'mu'el answered the people, "Don't be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet now, just don't turn away from following ADONAI; but serve ADONAI with all your heart.
Berean Standard Bible:
“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.
American Standard Version:
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Samuel{H8050} said{H559} unto the people{H5971}, Fear{H3372} not: ye have done{H6213} all this wickedness{H7451}: yet turn not aside{H5493} from following{H310} the LORD{H3068}, but serve{H5647} the LORD{H3068} with all your heart{H3824};
Cross-References (KJV):
Deuteronomy 11:16
- Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
Psalms 40:4
- Blessed [is] that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Exodus 20:19
- And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
Exodus 20:20
- And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
Joshua 23:6
- Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom [to] the right hand or [to] the left;
Jeremiah 3:1
- ¶ They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
Psalms 125:5
- As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: [but] peace [shall be] upon Israel.
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Commentary for 1 Samuel 12:20
1 Samuel 12:20 is part of the speech given by the prophet Samuel to the Israelites after they had demanded a king to rule over them, a request that Samuel initially perceived as a rejection of his leadership and of God. In this verse, Samuel addresses the people's concerns and sins, reassuring them not to fear despite their past disobedience. The historical context is significant: the Israelites are transitioning from a theocracy, where God was recognized as their direct ruler, to a monarchy, which they saw as a more stable form of governance.
The themes of this verse include God's forgiveness, the importance of repentance, and the call to steadfast loyalty to the Lord. Samuel acknowledges that the people have committed wickedness, likely referring to their idolatry and desire for a human king, which was seen as a rejection of God's kingship. However, he encourages them not to let their past mistakes lead them further astray but instead to return to and wholeheartedly serve the Lord. This call to exclusive worship and service to God is central to the theology of the Old Testament, emphasizing that despite human failings, God's grace is available to those who turn back to Him. Samuel's exhortation is a powerful reminder that even when people sin, they can find redemption by renewing their commitment to God and serving Him with sincerity and integrity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H8050
There are 120 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁמוּאֵל
Transliteration: Shᵉmûwʼêl
Pronunciation: sehm-oo-ale'
Description: from the passive participle of שָׁמַע and אֵל; heard of God; Shemuel, the name of three Israelites; Samuel, Shemuel. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H5971
There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַם
Transliteration: ʻam
Pronunciation: am
Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people. - Strong's Number: H3372
There are 305 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָרֵא
Transliteration: yârêʼ
Pronunciation: yaw-ray'
Description: a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten; affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing). - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H7451
There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רַע
Transliteration: raʻ
Pronunciation: rah
Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.). - Strong's Number: H5493
There are 283 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סוּר
Transliteration: çûwr
Pronunciation: soor
Description: or שׂוּר; (Hosea 9:12), a primitive root; to turn off (literal or figurative); be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without. - Strong's Number: H310
There are 766 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַחַר
Transliteration: ʼachar
Pronunciation: akh-ar'
Description: from אָחַר; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses); after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H5647
There are 263 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָבַד
Transliteration: ʻâbad
Pronunciation: aw-bad'
Description: a primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.; [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper, - Strong's Number: H3824
There are 230 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לֵבָב
Transliteration: lêbâb
Pronunciation: lay-bawb'
Description: from לָבַב; used also like לֵב; the heart (as the most interior organ); [phrase] bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-) heart(-ed), midst, mind, [idiom] unawares, understanding.