Bible Strands
1 Samuel 12:19
They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Israelites speak to Samuel immediately after he calls on the LORD to send thunder and rain as a sign of their wrongness in demanding a king. They plead with him to intercede so they will not die. The words — The text highlights הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל (hit.pa.Lel), meaning "pray," and עֲבָדֶ֛י/ךָ ('a.va.Dei./kha), meaning "your servants." These terms frame the people's request as a formal plea for intercession from their appointed leader. The thread — This intercessory plea echoes Moses' requests in Exodus 9:28 and Exodus 10:17 to remove divine judgment, while the warning against adding to sin by demanding a king parallels the New Testament caution against persistent rebellion in 1 John 5:16. Why it lands — The passage demands acknowledgment that human desire for control compounds existing sin, and it requires the reader to bring such compounded guilt to God's appointed mediator for relief rather than attempting self-resolution.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
Cross-references
- Exodus 9:28 Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
- 1 John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.
- Exodus 10:17 Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, that He may remove this death from me.”
- 1 Samuel 12:23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
- Genesis 20:7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
- 1 Samuel 7:5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”
- 1 Samuel 7:8 and said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
- Job 42:8 So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.”
- Psalms 78:34 When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
- Isaiah 26:16 O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.