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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 Samuel 12:21

forthen should ye go after vain things The word "for" necessitates the insertion of a verb to complete the sentence. But it is expressed in none of the ancient versions, and the sense gains by its omission. Translate: "And ye shall not turn aside after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver." "Vain things" are false gods and idols, Heb. tôhû, literally emptiness. The same word is applied to them in Isaiah 41:29 (E. V. confusion), and to idol-makers in Isaiah 44:9. Cp. 1 Corinthians 8:4.

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See also 1 Samuel 12:21 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 12:21. _AFTER VAIN THINGS_] That is, _idols_; which he calls here התהו _hattohu_, the same expression found Genesis 1:2. _The earth was_ תהו tohu; it was _waste, empty_, and _formless:...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 co

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 fr...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 293 THE ISRAELITES’ REJECTION OF SAMUEL REPROVED 1 Samuel 12:16. Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I wil...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _1 SAMUEL 12:21_, &C. _VAIN THINGS, WHICH CANNOT PROFIT_— Samuel in these gentle terms dissuades them from idolatry, the practice of which was as useless to themselves as it was disgraceful to God. We...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Samuel Rebukes the People._ 1 Samuel 12:16-25 16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. 17 _Is it_ not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the Lord,...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    12:21 things (c-12) vain. (c-21) Lit. 'emptiness.' see Isaiah 40:17 , &c....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SAMUEL RESIGNS HIS JUDGESHIP This chapter is a continuation of 1 Samuel 10:17, and the scene of the events recorded is the great national assembly at Mizpeh. Notice, however, the reference to Nahash ...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FOR] The first 'for' in this v. is rightly omitted by LXX. 'And turn ye not aside after vain things which,' etc. VAIN _things'_] i.e. idols....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 12 SAMUEL SPEAKS TO ALL THE *ISRAELITES FOR THE LAST TIME V1 Samuel said to all the *Israelites, ‘I have done everything that you wanted me t...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR THEN SHOULD YE GO AFTER VAIN THINGS. — The passage is more forcible without the “for” and the words in italics supplied in the English translation. The verse without it would run thus: “Turn ye no...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ לֹ֖א תָּס֑וּרוּ כִּ֣י ׀ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַ תֹּ֗הו

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XVII. _ SAMUEL'S DEALINGS WITH THE PEOPLE._ 1 Samuel 12:6. 2. HAVING vindicated himself (in the first five verses of this chapter, 1 Samuel 12:1), Samuel now proceeds to his second point, an...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    HIS WARNING CONFIRMED FROM HEAVEN 1 Samuel 12:14 Having handed his office over to Saul, who henceforth was to shepherd and lead the Chosen People, Samuel assured them that the Lord would not forsake...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    At the confirmation of the king appointed by God by the consent of the nation, Samuel delivered what was practically his last address to them. It was of the nature of a farewell message, in which was...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Vain and wicked idols. Hebrew thohu, full of "confusion" and disorder._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (20) 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; (21) And turn ye not aside: for th...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have already seen that the desire and deliberate decision of the people for a king was a direct blow at the government of God in Israel; but the time was come to permit the will of the people to ha...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Samuel (chap. 12) receives the people's testimony to his fidelity. He sets before them the ways of God towards them, their ingratitude and foolishness in having asked for a king and rejected God. Neve...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND TURN YE NOT ASIDE,.... From his worship: for then; if they turned aside from that: SHOULD YE GO AFTER VAIN THINGS; idols, which are vanity, and less than vanity: WHICH CANNOT PROFIT NOR DELIVER;...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And turn ye not aside: for [then should ye go] after vain [things], which cannot profit nor deliver; for they [are] vain. Ver. 21. _And turn ye not aside._] To idols, or other of the devil's anodynes...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The Lord thy God_ Whom thou hast so great an interest in, while we are ashamed and afraid to call him our God. _Fear not_ With a desponding fear, as if there are no hope left for you. _But turn not y...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Samuel testifieth his integritie. 6 Hee reprooueth the people of ingratitude. 16 He terrifieth them with thunder in haruest time. 20 He comforteth them in Gods mercy. 1 AND Samuel saide vnto all...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    and turn ye not aside, after idolatrous vanities which were bound to bring harm; FOR THEN SHOULD YE GO AFTER VAIN THINGS WHICH CANNOT PROFIT NOR DELIVER; FOR THEY ARE VAIN. The reference is to the ido...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    SAMUEL ADMONISHES THE PEOPLE TO STEADFASTNESS...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    This chapter intervenes in the history as a solemn reproof to Israel and a warning of the dangers to which they had exposed themselves by asking for a king The voice of the prophet is not to be put in...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    16-25 At Samuel's word, God sent thunder and rain, at a season of the year when, in that country, the like was not seen. This was to convince them they had done wickedly in asking a king; not only by...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    TURN YE NOT ASIDE, to wit, after idols; as they had often done before; and, notwithstanding this warning, did afterwards. SHOULD YE GO, or, _should ye turn aside_; which words are easily to be underst...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 12:21 aside H5493 (H8799) after H310 things H8414 profit H3276 (H8686) deliver H5337 (H8686) nothing...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Samuel's proclamation of the kingdom. Deliverances of God rehearsed. The sign of thunder and rain. CHARACTERS: God, Samuel. CONCLUSION: Religion has reason on its side (1 Samuel 12:7) whic...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 12:2. _I am old and grey-headed._ Some think Samuel was now seventy three or eighty years of age; others think he was but sixty three. Usher's chronology is much embarrassed here. 1 Samuel 12...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Turn ye not aside._ POINTS OF DEPARTURE Samuel assumes that the true path was clear before Israel; it knew its calling and destiny. To love God alone and to serve Him was the simple royal pathway. A...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not._ DANGER OR DESPONDENCY It is, I believe, no very unusual thing, however unwilling we may be to avow it, for persons to give way to a kind of despair, when...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now, therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen._ SAMUEL’S FAREWELL ADDRESS I. One could hardly fail to note what is here taught respecting the condition of true prosperity. Samuel plainly tells...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Samuel maid unto the people._ SAMUEL’S DEALINGS WITH THE PEOPLE Having vindicated himself (in the first five verses of this chapter), Samuel now proceeds to his second point, and takes the peopl...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 12:1 The setting of this address is not clear, though it was probably a different occasion than ch. 1 Samuel 11:1. From now on, Samuel will no longer be the judge of all Is

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 12:21 EMPTY THINGS. Worthless idols. Those who trust in them receive only emptiness in return. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES.— 1 Samuel 12:1. “AND SAMUEL SAID,” etc. “The time and place of the following address are not given, but it is evident from the connection with the preceding chapter, and...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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 intr...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in the twelfth chapter Samuel is now sort of stepping down because they have now proclaimed the king. So his career as the judge over Israel has pretty much come to an end, as the reigns of govern...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 8:4; Deuteronomy 32:21; Habakkuk 2:18; Isaiah 41:23;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Turn aside — After idols; as they had often done before; and, notwithstanding this warning, did afterwards. Vain things — So idols are called, Deuteronomy 32:21; Jeremiah 2:5, and so they are, being m...

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