1 Samuel 12:11

_AND THE LORD SENT JERUBBAAL, AND BEDAN, AND JEPHTHAH, AND SAMUEL, AND DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF YOUR ENEMIES ON EVERY SIDE, AND YE DWELLED SAFE._ Bedan. The Septuagint reads Barak; and for "Samuel" some versions read 'Samson,' which seems more natural than that the prophet should mention himself, to the total omission of the greatest of the judges (cf. Hebrews 11:32)....

6-15 The work of ministers is to reason with people; not only to exhort and direct, but to persuade, to convince men's judgments, and so to gain their wills and affections. Samuel reasons of the righteous acts of the Lord. Those who follow God faithfully, he will enable to continue following him. Disobedience would certainly be the ruin of Israel. We mistake if we think that we can escape God's justice, by trying to shake off his dominion. If we resolve that God shall not rule us, yet he will judge us....

Verse 1 Samuel 12:11. _JERUBBAAL_] That is, Gideon. _And Bedan_: instead of _Bedan_, whose name occurs nowhere else as a judge or deliverer of Israel, the _Septuagint_ have _Barak_; the same reading is found in the _Syriac_ and _Arabic_. The Targum has _Samson_. Many commentators are of this opinion; but _Calmet_ thinks that _Jair_ is intended, who judged Israel _twenty-two_ years, Judges 10:3. Instead of _Samuel_ the _Syriac_ and _Arabic_ have _Samson_; and it is most natural to suppose that Samuel does not mention _himself_ in this place. St. Paul's authority confirms these alterations: _The time would fail me_, says he, _to tell of Gideon_, of _Barak_, of _Samson_, of _Jephthah_, of...

BEDAN - No such name occurs among the Judges who delivered Israel. Some versions and commentators read “Barak,” the form of the letters of both words being in Hebrew somewhat similar. AND SAMUEL - There is nothing improper or out of place in Samuel mentioning his own judgeship. It had supplied a remarkable instance of God’s deliverance 1 Samuel 7:12; and, as it was the last as well as one of the very greatest deliverances, it was natural he should do so. The passage in Hebrews 11:32 is quite as favorable to the mention of Samuel here as to that of “Samson,” which some propose to read instead of “Samuel.”...

EXPOSITION SAMUEL'S EXHORTATION TO THE PEOPLE AT GILGAL. This speech of Samuel is not to be regarded as a farewell address made upon his resignation of his office; for though a new power had been introduced, and Samuel's sons excluded from the succession, yet it was only gradually that a change was made in his own position. He was still judge (1 Samuel 7:15), and on extraordinary occasions came forward with decisive authority (1 Samuel 15:33). But as Saul gathered men of war round him (1 Samuel 14:52), the moral power possessed by Samuel would be overshadowed by the physical force whi

AND THE LORD SENT JERUBBAAL,.... Or Gideon, as the Targum, for Jerubbaal was the name given to Gideon, when he first became a judge, Judges 6:32 AND BEDAN; if this was one of the judges, he must have two names, or is one that is not mentioned in the book of Judges; the Targum interprets it of Samson; so Jerom h, for the word may be rendered "in Dan"; one in Dan, who was of the tribe of Dan, as Samson was; and it was in the camp of Dan the Spirit of God first came upon him; and Kimchi observes that it is the same as Bendan, the son of Dan, that is, a Danite; and though he was after Jephthah, yet is set before him, because he was a greater man than he; and this way go the generality of Jewish writers i; but a man of this name being among the posterity of Manasseh, 1 Chronicles 7:17. J

5. SAMUEL'S WITNESS AND WARNING CHAPTER 12 _ 1. His witness to his own integrity (1 Samuel 12:1)_ 2. His warning (1 Samuel 12:6) 3. Heaven's answer (1 Samuel 12:16) 4. His words of comfort (1 Samuel 12:20) What a scene! The man of God, the man of prayer, now advanced in years, stands before them. “I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.” Here was not a Nazarite who had failed like Samson, but one who had lived out his Nazariteship in the fullest sense of the word. What unselfish service he had rendered and how he loved his own people! In all this he is a type o

1 SAMUEL 12. SAMUEL'S FAREWELL. From the Deuteronomic document, where it separated the two clauses of 1 Samuel 10:25, which see. 1 SAMUEL 12:1_ A_ (to witness). In response to a solemn adjuration from Samuel, the people agree that his administration has been pure. 1 SAMUEL 12:3. TO BLIND MINE EYES THEREWITH: LXX even a pair of shoes? Answer against me, and I will, etc. (_mg.)._ 1 SAMUEL 12:6_ A_ - 1 SAMUEL 12:11. Samuel briefly reviews the history of Israel, showing the gracious dealings of

AND BEDAN. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic read "and Barak" (the names being much alike in Hebrew). and Samuel. The Peshito (or Revised Syriac) reads "and Samson". But, if "Samuel", these are not Samuel's words, but Jehovah's in Samuel's mouth....

_And the Lord sent_, &c. Four typical deliverers of the nation are mentioned. (1) Jerubbaal, who brought the Midianite oppression to an end (Judges 6-8). His original name _Gideon_was changed to _Jerubbaal_(_let Baal plead_) for his bold act of piety in destroying the altar of Baal (Judges 6:31-32). (2) Bedan. This name is not found in the book of Judges, but as that book is not a complete history, Bedan may possibly have been the name of a judge not mentioned there. But more probably Bedan is a copyist's error for _Barak_, which is the reading of the Sept. and Syriac. The letters of the two words are much alike. In this case the reference will be to the deliverance from the Canaanite oppression already mentioned (Judges 4:6 ff.). Bedan has also been explained as a name of Samson, either