In the previous chapter, we saw that Saul was renewed in his kingship after his victory over the Ammonites, 1 Samuel 11:12-15. This chapter is a continuation of this event, and as Saul is being confirmed as king of Israel, Samuel uses this occasion to give a farewell speech to the people, like Moses did, Deuteronomy 31:1-13, and Joshua did, Joshua 24:1-28.
Samuel says to Israel that he has listened to everything they said to him and have set a king over them, 1 Samuel 12:1. Now they have a king as their leader and as Samuel is now old and gray, and his sons are here with them and he has been their leader from his youth until this day1 Samuel 12:2.
It was both God and Saul who were witnesses to the fact that Samuel had handled himself with honesty among the people as he didn’t take any bribes from anyone, 1 Samuel 12:3-5.
Samuel reminds the people that it is the LORD who appointed Moses, and Aaron, 1 Kings 12:31 / Hebrews 3:2, and brought their ancestors up out of Egypt, 1 Samuel 12:6 / 1 Samuel 4:8 / 1 Samuel 6:6.
Then Samuel says he is going to confront them with evidence before the LORD as to all the righteous acts performed by the LORD for them and their ancestors, 1 Samuel 12:7.
Samuel tells the people that it was God who brought them out of Egypt over four years ago, 1 Samuel 12:8, and because He made a covenant with Abraham and Israel, then God can be seen as a just God because He fulfilled His promises to them.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘He shows them that through all their history God had ever raised them up deliverers, when their necessities required such interference.’
But despite them turning from God, God continued to deliver them from their oppressing enemies, 1 Samuel 12:9 / Judges 4:2, when they cried out to God for help in repentance, 1 Samuel 12:10 / Judges 6:28-32.
On the other hand, Israel as a nation broke their covenant with God by turning to the Baals and Ashtaroths, hence why they confessed their sins, 1 Samuel 12:10 / 1 Samuel 7:3-4.
Samuel reminds them that God sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel to deliver them, 1 Samuel 12:11, so they can live in peace, Hebrews 11:32. Note that some translations have the name Bedan, but this name doesn’t appear anywhere in the Book of Judges, so the name Barak is more accurate.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘According to the present arrangement of the Book of Judges, and the common chronology, the oppression of Sisera must have occurred about 200 years after the entrance into Canaan. But Samuel here places it as the first great servitude, before that under Eglon, king of Moab, or that from which Shamgar delivered them. And this is in accordance with the internal evidence of the Book of Judges itself. It is also the order of Judges 10:11, except that there the Ammonites, Judges 3:13, are placed before the Philistines.’
Nahash was the king of the Ammonites, 1 Samuel 12:12, and it’s highly likely it was because of their fear of him that Israel wanted a king of their own in the first place.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This was not the first time they had demanded a king, 1 Samuel 8:5. But at the crisis mentioned here, they became more importunate, and it was in consequence of this that the kingdom was a second time confirmed to Saul. Saul was elected at Mizpeh, and he was confirmed at Gilgal.’
Samuel tells them here is the king they have chosen, the one they asked for, see, the LORD has set a king over you, 1 Samuel 12:13. Samuel reminds them to fear the Lord and Obey Him, 1 Samuel 12:14.
This was Samuel reminding the people that God was still their true king and they needed to fear Him and obey His commands. If they don’t obey the LORD, and if they rebel against His commands, then God’s hand will be against them, as it was against their ancestors, 1 Samuel 12:15.
To help the Israelites fear God, Samuel asks them to stand still and see this great thing God is about to do before their very eyes, 1 Samuel 12:16. He asks is it not wheat harvest now? 1 Samuel 12:17 / Amos 4:7.
He will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, and they will realise what an evil thing they did in the eyes of the LORD when they asked for a king, 1 Samuel 12:17.
Samuel called on God to make Himself be known and heard through thunder and rain, 1 Samuel 12:18 / Proverbs 26:1. It appears that the thunder and rain had the effect which Samuel wanted, they feared the Lord and were in awe of Him, 1 Samuel 12:18.
The purpose of the thunder and the rain was also a sign from God that He didn’t agree with Israel wanting a physical king on earth when they had a heavenly King already, 1 Samuel 12:19. Samuel tells them not to be afraid, they have done all this evil and yet don’t turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart, 1 Samuel 12:20.
Samuel reminds them that they weren’t to turn useless idols for protection, 1 Samuel 12:21 / Isaiah 44:9 / 1 Corinthians 7:4. He reminds them that God will not forsake them not because of anything they do but for His own Name’s sake, 1 Samuel 12:22 / Genesis 12:3.
Although the Lord wouldn’t forsake them, the reality was that they would forsake the Lord and when they do, they will bring the Name of God into shame among other nations, Exodus 20:7.
We can’t sit on the fence with God; we can’t claim we belong to Him but at the same time just live however we wish. The way we conduct ourselves should be a reflection of the God we serve. Samuel’s love for God and his people is seen in the fact that he says it would be a sin for him if he didn’t pray for the people, 1 Samuel 12:23.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘They had earnestly begged him, 1 Samuel 12:19, to pray to God for them, that they might not die, and he tells them that he should consider himself a sinner, should he cease to be their intercessor.’
He wants to teach them the way of good and right, 1 Samuel 12:23, that is, God’s ways and what is right in God’s eyes. He goes on to encourage them to consider what God has done for them in the past in an effort to encourage them to remain faithful to God and His will, 1 Samuel 12:24 / Mark 12:29.
There are times when people need to be reminded of what they did in the past, and although this can be embarrassing at times, it should also help us recognise what God has done for each of us in the past, 2 Peter 1:9.
What Samuel is doing here is asking them to think about why they wanted a physical earthly king in the first place, when God, their heavenly King, has done so much for them in the past.
Notice the final warning which Samuel gives the people, if they persist in doing evil, both Israel as a nation and their king will perish, 1 Samuel 12:25. As we know, this is exactly what is going to happen when the Assyrians and the Babylonians take them into captivity. The good news is that Israel never asked for a physical king to rule over them after these events.