Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. New Living Translation Your king is now your leader. I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. English Standard Version And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Berean Standard Bible 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. King James Bible And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. New King James Version And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. New American Standard Bible Now, here is the king walking before you, but as for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. And I have walked before you since my youth to this day. NASB 1995 “Now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day. NASB 1977 “And now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day. Legacy Standard Bible So now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day. Amplified Bible And now, here is the king walking before you. As for me, I am old and gray, and here are my sons with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. Christian Standard Bible Now you can see that the king is leading you. As for me, I’m old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from my youth until now. Holman Christian Standard Bible Now you can see that the king is leading you. As for me, I’m old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from my youth until today. American Standard Version And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day. Contemporary English Version You have seen how I have led you ever since I was a young man. I'm already old. My hair is gray, and my own sons are grown. Now you must see how well your king will lead you. English Revised Version And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day. GOD'S WORD® Translation And now, here is the king who will lead you. I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. Good News Translation and now you have him to lead you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are with you. I have been your leader from my youth until now. International Standard Version Now here is the king walking before you, while I'm old and gray, and my sons are with you. I've walked before you from my youth until this day. Majority Standard Bible 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. NET Bible Now look! This king walks before you. As for me, I am old and gray, though my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from the time of my youth till the present day. New Heart English Bible Now, look, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and look, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. Webster's Bible Translation And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. World English Bible Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand now, behold, the king is habitually walking before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, behold, they [are] with you, and I have habitually walked before you from my youth until this day. Young's Literal Translation and now, lo, the king is walking habitually before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, lo, they are with you, and I have walked habitually before you from my youth till this day. Smith's Literal Translation And now, behold, the king going before you: and I grew old and I was gray-headed; and my sons, behold them with you: and I went before you from my youth even to this day. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day, behold here I am. Catholic Public Domain Version And now the king advances before you. But I am old and have gray hair. Moreover, my sons are with you. And so, having conversed before you from my youth, even until this day, behold, I am here. New American Bible and now the king will lead you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are among you. I was your leader from my youth to the present day. New Revised Standard Version See, it is the king who leads you now; I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd now, behold, the king is before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And now, behold, the King is before you, and I have aged and I am old, and my sons, behold, are with you, and I have walked before you from my youth and until today OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day. Brenton Septuagint Translation And now, behold, the king goes before you; and I am grown old and shall rest; and, behold, my sons are among you; and, behold, I have gone about before you from my youth to this day. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Samuel's Farewell Address1Then 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. 2Now 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. 3Here 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.”… Cross References Acts 13:21 Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 1 Samuel 8:5-7 “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” / But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. / And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king. 1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance? 1 Samuel 11:14-15 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” / So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly. Deuteronomy 17:14-15 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” / you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers. Hosea 13:10-11 Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? / So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away. Judges 8:23 But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.” 1 Kings 8:20 Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 1 Kings 12:1-20 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. / When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since. / So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said, ... 2 Samuel 7:12-16 And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. ... 1 Chronicles 28:5 And of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. 1 Chronicles 29:22-25 That day they ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the LORD. Then, for a second time, they designated David’s son Solomon as king, anointing him before the LORD as ruler, and Zadok as the priest. / So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. / All the officials and mighty men, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. ... Psalm 89:20-29 I have found My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him. / My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him. / No enemy will exact tribute; no wicked man will oppress him. ... Isaiah 3:1-7 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water, / the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the soothsayer and the elder, / the commander of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter. ... Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. / In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. Treasury of Scripture And now, behold, the king walks before you: and I am old and gray headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. walketh 1 Samuel 8:20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. Numbers 27:17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. I am old 1 Samuel 8:1,5 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel… Psalm 71:18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. Isaiah 46:3,4 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: … my sons 1 Samuel 2:22,29 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation… 1 Samuel 3:13,16 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not… 1 Samuel 8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. I have walked 1 Samuel 3:19,20 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground… Jump to Previous Childhood Early Eyes Habitually Leader Walked Walketh Walking Walks YouthJump to Next Childhood Early Eyes Habitually Leader Walked Walketh Walking Walks Youth1 Samuel 12 1. Samuel testifies his integrity6. He reproves the people of ingratitude 16. He terrifies them with thunder in harvest time 20. he comforts them in God's mercy Now here is the king walking before you This phrase marks a significant transition in Israel's history, as the nation moves from a theocracy, where God was their direct ruler, to a monarchy with a human king. The king "walking before" the people signifies his role as a leader and representative. This moment fulfills the people's request for a king to lead them, as seen in 1 Samuel 8:5. The king's presence symbolizes a shift in governance, reflecting the people's desire to be like other nations (1 Samuel 8:20). This transition is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon, and ultimately points to the future Messianic King, Jesus Christ, who will perfectly fulfill the role of a righteous and eternal king. and I am old and gray and my sons are here with you I have walked before you from my youth until this day Persons / Places / Events 1. SamuelThe prophet and last judge of Israel, who served as a bridge between the period of the judges and the establishment of the monarchy. He is addressing the Israelites in this passage. 2. The King Refers to King Saul, the first king of Israel, whom the people requested to lead them like other nations. 3. Samuel's Sons Joel and Abijah, who were appointed as judges but did not follow Samuel's righteous ways, leading to the people's demand for a king. 4. Israelites The people of Israel, who demanded a king to lead them, rejecting God's direct rule through judges. 5. The Transition of Leadership This event marks the transition from theocratic rule under judges to a monarchy, highlighting a significant shift in Israel's governance. Teaching Points The Faithfulness of a ServantSamuel's life exemplifies faithfulness in service to God and His people. Despite the people's rejection, he remained committed to his calling. The Consequences of Human Desire The Israelites' demand for a king demonstrates the consequences of prioritizing human desires over divine guidance. Aging and Wisdom Samuel's acknowledgment of his age and experience serves as a reminder of the wisdom that comes with years of faithful service. Leadership and Accountability The presence of Samuel's sons, who did not follow his ways, highlights the importance of accountability and integrity in leadership. God's Sovereignty in Leadership Transitions Even when human choices seem to deviate from God's ideal, He remains sovereign and works through those decisions for His purposes.(2) And now, behold, the king walketh before you.--No doubt, here pointing to Saul by his side. The term "walketh before you implied generally that the kingly office included the guiding and governing the people, as well as the especial duty of leading them in war; from henceforth they must accept his authority on all occasions, not merely in great emergencies. Both king and people must understand that the days when Saul could quietly betake himself to his old pursuits on the farm of the Ephraim hills were now past for ever. He must lead, and they must follow. The metaphor is taken from the usual place of a shepherd in the East, where he goes before his flock. Compare the words of our Lord, who uses the same image of a shepherd walking before his sheep (John 10:27): "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." And I am old and grayheaded.--Here the prophet, with some pathos, refers to the elders' own words at Ramah (chap 8:5). Yes, said the seer, I am old--grown grey in your service; listen to me while I ask you what manner of service that has been. Can any one find in it a flaw? has it not been pure and disinterested throughout? My sons are with you.--Yes, old indeed, for my offspring are numbered now among the grown men of the people. Possibly, however, a tinge of mortified feeling at the rejection of himself and his family, mixed with a desire to recommend his sons to the favour and goodwill of the nation, is at the bottom of this mention of them.--Speaker's Commentary. It is evident that these sons, whose conduct as Samuel's deputies had excited the severest criticism on the part of the elders (1Samuel 8:5), had been reduced--with the full consent, of course, of their father, who up to this period exercised evidently supreme power in all the coasts of Israel--to the condition of mere private citizens. From my childhood unto this day.--Samuel's life had in truth been constantly before the public observation from very early days; well known to all were the details of his career--his early consecration under peculiar and exceptional circumstances to the sanctuary service, the fact of the "word of the Lord" coming directly to him when still a boy, his recognition by the people directly afterwards as a prophet, then his restless, unwearied work during the dark days which followed the fall of Shiloh. It was indeed a public life. He would have Israel, now they had virtually rejected his rule, think over that long busy life of his for a moment, and then pronounce a judgment on it. Verse 2. - The king walketh before you. I.e. you have now one to protect and lead the nation, whereas my business was to raise its religious and moral life. The metaphor is taken from the position of the shepherd in the East, where he goes before his flock to guide and guard them. On this account the word shepherd or pastor is used in the Bible of the temporal ruler (Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 23:4, etc.), and not, as with us, of the spiritual guide. My sons are with you. This is no mere confirmation of the fact just stated that he was old, but a direct challenge of their dissatisfaction with his sons' conduct, as far at least as concerns any connivance on his part, or support of them in their covetousness. Samuel says, You know all about my sons; I do not profess to be ignorant that charges have been brought against them. Give full weight to them, and to everything said against them and me, and then give judgment.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Nowוְעַתָּ֞ה (wə·‘at·tāh) Conjunctive waw | Adverb Strong's 6258: At this time here is הִנֵּ֥ה (hin·nêh) Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! the king הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ׀ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king walking מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ (miṯ·hal·lêḵ) Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk before you, לִפְנֵיכֶ֗ם (lip̄·nê·ḵem) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 6440: The face and I וַאֲנִי֙ (wa·’ă·nî) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I am old זָקַ֣נְתִּי (zā·qan·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 2204: To be or become old and gray, וָשַׂ֔בְתִּי (wā·śaḇ·tî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 7867: To become aged, to grow gray and my sons וּבָנַ֖י (ū·ḇā·nay) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 1121: A son are here הִנָּ֣ם (hin·nām) Interjection | third person masculine plural Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! with you. אִתְּכֶ֑ם (’it·tə·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among I וַאֲנִי֙ (wa·’ă·nî) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I have walked הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי (hiṯ·hal·laḵ·tî) Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk before you לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם (lip̄·nê·ḵem) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 6440: The face from my youth מִנְּעֻרַ֖י (min·nə·‘u·ray) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 5271: Youth, the state, the persons until עַד־ (‘aḏ-) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while this הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh) Article | Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that day. הַיּ֥וֹם (hay·yō·wm) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3117: A day Links 1 Samuel 12:2 NIV1 Samuel 12:2 NLT 1 Samuel 12:2 ESV 1 Samuel 12:2 NASB 1 Samuel 12:2 KJV 1 Samuel 12:2 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 12:2 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 12:2 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 12:2 French Bible 1 Samuel 12:2 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 12:2 Now behold the king walks before you (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
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