SAMUEL'S SPEECH AT SAUL'S CORONATION
A. Testimony to Samuel's integrity
1. (1 Sam 12:1-3) Samuel talks about his leadership over Isreal
Then Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice all that you said to me and I have appointed a king over you. 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. Here I am; bear witness against me before the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind the eyes with it? I will restore it to you."
Then Samuel said to all Israel: While the people were assembled together in Gilgal after the grand victory of Saul over the Ammonites in 1 Samuel 11, Samuel knew that the nation would now be looking to King Saul for leadership. Samuel is setting the stage for the transition of the nation of Israel from the leadership of Samuel as judge to Saul as king. Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life (1 Samuel 7:15), but now that a king was being raised up, Samuel's role would change an diminish. Samuel never officially "stepped down" from leading Israel as a judge; however, he did not allow his role to eclipse Saul and his role as king. In this way, Samuel showed himself as a godly man. He was willing to fade from the scene when God raised up another leader. Samuel did not cling to his position as judge, but allowed God to bring up another leader to rule Israel.
Now, here is the king walking before you: The nation of Israel now had someone to protect and lead the nation. Whereas, Samuel's role was to raise Israel's moral and religious 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. The king's office would include the following duties: guiding and governing the people, and leading them in war. From henceforth, the nation of Israel must accept King Saul's authority on all occasions, not merely in times of great emergencies. Both the king and the people must understand that the days of when Saul could quietly follow his old pursuits of life on his father's farm were now in the past. Saul must lead, and the nation of Israel must follow.
I am old and grey, and behold my sons are with you: Samuel refers to the two reasons alleged by the elders in Ramah for asking for a king--his age and the misgovernment of his sons. In 1 Samuel 8:1-5, Samuel was challenged to take his sons out of leadership in Israel because they were not godly men. Although it must have been extremely difficult to yield to this request, Samuel did it. The words "my sons are with you" are proof of Samuel's actions. Samuel's sons are now simply part of the assembly of Israel and are not part of Israel's leadership with Samuel.
I have walked before you from my youth even to this day: Samuel's life had been constantly before the public from his very early days. The details of his life were well-known--his early consecration to sanctuary service, the "word of the LORD" came directly to him while he was still a boy, his recognition by the people directly afterwards as a prophet, then his unwearied work during the dark days which followed the fall of Shiloh. It was indeed a very public life. He would now have the nation of Israel (now that they had rejected his rule) think over his long busy life for a moment.
Here I am: Samuel puts himself on trial. The people of Israel are the accusers. God and His representative Saul are the judges. Samuel wanted the nation of Israel to know that he passed a good legacy of leadership to the new King Saul. He wanted Israel to recognize that he did not hand Saul a mess to clean up. If Saul proved to be a poor leader, no one could say it was from Samuel's bad example.
His anointed: "His anointed" is the Hebrew word "mashiach" which is often translated into English as "messiah". The title "messiah" had been given to the office of the high priest. ("If the anointed priest sins so as the bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he had committed" Leviticus 4:3.) But, this is the earliest instance of the king of Israel bearing the title of "messiah", and thus, it typifies the true Messiah as a King.
Whom have I oppressed: Whom have I wronged either by fraud and false accusation or by might and power.
From whose hand have I taken a bride: Literally, the Hebrew reads "the price of redemption". This was the price paid (i.e., ransom) to redeem an unjust and lost cause or person from the righteous sentence which they deserved. ("If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him" Exodus 21:30.) The bribe alludes to the practice common in the East of giving a judge a gift (usually of money) to buy his favor, and thus a criminal who had financial means was often able to escape his punishment.
To blind the eyes with: This phrase is used of one who averts his eyes; one who ignores what is right in favor of taking a bribe. God warns against this in Exodus 23:8: "You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds that clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just." A very similar warning is given by God in Deuteronomy 16:19: "You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous."
I will restore it to you: It seems as if Samuel meant, "I may have wronged someone without knowing it. If that is the case, please state it now so that I can make it right." Samuel does not want to leave any unfinished business. This is yet another example of Samuel's humble heart.
2. (1 Sam 12:4-5) Israel affirms the blameless leadership of Samuel
They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand." He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
You have not defrauded us or oppressed us: Samuel had done them no harm, neither publicly or privately, by fraud of by force.
Taken anything from any man's hand: Samuel had not taken a gift, present or bribe from the people. Israel knew that Samuel was a good, godly leader. He did not lead them for what he could get from them, but for what he could give to them.
The LORD is witness against you: Samuel again calls the Eternal in the heavens and His anointed king to witness what the people have just acknowledged concerning his just rule. All parties agreed that Samuel led Israel well. If Israel were to later accuse Samuel of wrong, he could call them back to what they said here as a "witness against them". Moreover, if Israel ever tried to blame Saul's problems on Samuel, what they said here would be a "witness against them"
B. Samuel challenges Israel to serve God under their new king
1. (1 Sam 12:6-12) Samuel give a brief history lesson
Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. So now, take your stand, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did for you and your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in the place. But they forgot the LORD their God, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king Moab, and they fought against them. They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.' Then the LORD sent Jerubaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security. When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' although the LORD your God was your king."
Then Samuel said to the people: Having cleared and established his own character, Samuel proceeds to lay before the people some of the great things God has done for them in times past and down to the present time.
It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron: It is the LORD who advanced Moses and Aaron. He raised them from a low estate. Moses was in the foreign country of Midian while Aaron was in bondage in Egypt. Yet, God raised these two brothers up to be deliverers, guides and governors of His people Israel.
Who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt: The Exodus is mentioned in this and many places in these ancient records of the people as the great call of love by which God brings His people from a land of bondage into the Promised land--a land flowing with milk and honey.
So now, take your stand: The figure of a trial continues, but the relation of the parties is changed. Samuel is now the accuser, and Israel the defendant.
The righteous acts of the LORD: In this remembrance of God's work from the time of the Exodus until the present day, Samuel focuses not on the history of Israel, but on the history of "the righteous acts of the LORD".
When Jacob went into Egypt: Jacob traveled with his family into Egypt to see his son Joseph. They dwelt there many years and at length were oppressed by the Egyptians and brought into hard bondage.
Then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt: After various messages carried by Moses and Aaron from the LORD to the Pharaoh of Egypt, and after many signs and wonders performed by Aaron and Moses, at last, Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt.
And settled them in this place: The land of Canaan is meant here. Moses and Aaron lead the Israelites through the Red Sea, guided them through the wilderness and Moses accompanied them to the border of Canaan. (Ultimately, Joshua, the successor to Moses, leads Israel into the land of Canaan and conquers the land for them. But it was through Aaron and Moses that the nation of Israel was lead to the Promised Land.) Israel should remember that their salvation from slavery and the new life God gave them in the Promised Land was one of "the righteous acts of the LORD".
But they forgot the LORD their God: Through idolatry and immorality, Israel acted in rebellion against the government of their Invisible King. They were subsequently punished by the withdrawal of the Divine protection.
He sold them into the hand of Sisera: God's abandonment of His people to their enemies is described as a figure of sale, just as the deliverance of them is called redemption or buying back. ("The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of the plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies" Judges 2:14. "Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years" Judges 3:8.)
The three chief oppressors of Israel during the period of the Judges is mentioned.
(1) The Canaanites who were led by Sisera, general of the army of King Jabin. Their chief city was Hazor (which means stronghold) situated on the high ground west of Lake Merom. This oppression lasted twenty years. (See Judges 4:5).
(2) The Philistines. The Philistines dwelt among the Israelites, were the most formidable foes to the chosen people for a long series of years. (See Judges 3:31, Judges 10:7, Judges 13:1) It was owing especially to these Philistines that for so long a period of such slow progress in wealth and civilization was made in Israel. The advancement of the nation of Israel, from the days of Samuel, who the first to defeat the Philistines, was quite rapid. In an incredibly short period of time, Israel changed from a poor agricultural society to a highly-cultured wealthy and powerful nation. This rapid progress was owing to the complete subjugation of the Philistines under the rule of Samuel, Saul and David.
(3) The Moabites. The king of Moab is Eglon, who was slain by Ehud. (See Judges 3)
Israel should remember how God allowed a disobedient Israel to be dominated by their enemies, as a chastisement, intended to bring them to repentance. We should recognize chastisement as one of "the righteous acts of the LORD". His discipline is just as righteous as His deliverance.
They cried out to the LORD: As soon as they were convicted of the sin and rebellion, and accused themselves and returned to their invisible King. God full of pity and tender compassion forgave them and sent them quick deliverance. This was one of "the righteous acts of the LORD".
Baals and Ashtaroth: See commentary on 1 Samuel 7:3.
Jerubaal: This was another name for Gideon. ("They said to one another, 'Who did this thing?' And when they searched about and inquired, they said, 'Gideon, the son of Joash did this thing.' Therefore on that day he named him Jerubaal, that is to say, 'Let Baal contend against him,' because he had torn down his altar" Judges 6:29, 32.)
Bedan: The name Bedan does not occur in the Book of Judges. Perhaps he was a known delivered in their time but not recorded in the Book of Judges. The Septuagint and Syriac versions read instead of Bedan, Barak. The letters forming these two names in Hebrew are very similar, and a scribe might easily have written one for the other. The famous Hebrew commentator Kimchi suggests that Bedan is written for Ben-Dan, the son of Dan the Danite, that is Samson.
When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon: From this it appears that Nahash had levied war against Israel for some time before he came aginst them at Jabesh-Gilead, as mentioned in 1 Samuel Chapter 11. They took occasion for Nahash's first threat of war to demand a king. They were impatient and fearful to wait for God to raise them up a deliverer, or to command Samuel, who was their judge, to go out and fight against Nahash and the Ammonites.
Although the LORD your God was your king: That is, when God was your king and governor, who was willing and able to deliver you. If they had cried to Him as their ancestors before them had done, they would not have needed any other king. The desire of another king was a reproach against God.
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