1 Samuel 12:3

Here 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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Samuel addresses the assembled Israelites at the conclusion of his judicial career, calling God and the people to witness his conduct before transferring authority.

The words — The Hebrew עֲנ֣וּ ('a.Nu) commands the crowd to "testify" against him, while נֶ֨גֶד (Ne.ged) and מְשִׁיח֗/וֹ (me.shi.Ch/o) frame this examination "before the LORD and before His anointed."

The thread — This demand for financial and judicial purity runs parallel to Moses’ denial of taking donkeys in Numbers 16:15 and Paul’s assertion of coveting no one’s silver or gold in Acts 20:33.

Why it lands — The text requires leaders to submit their conduct to public and divine scrutiny, explicitly denying the acceptance of bribes, the oppression of the vulnerable, and the seizure of property.

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

הִנְנִ֣יhi./Nihere [am]/ I עֲנ֣וּ'a.Nutestifyבִי֩v/iagainst <the>/ meנֶ֨גֶדNe.gedbefore יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahweh וְנֶ֣גֶדve./Ne.gedand/ before מְשִׁיח֗וֹme.shi.Ch/oanointed/ his אֶת־'et-<obj.>שׁוֹר֩׀shOr[the] ox of מִ֨יmiwhom?לָקַ֜חְתִּיla.Kach.tihave I taken וַחֲמ֧וֹרva./cha.Morand/ [the] donkey of מִ֣יmiwhom?לָקַ֗חְתִּיla.Kach.tihave I taken וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>מִ֤יmiwhom?עָשַׁ֙קְתִּי֙'a.Shak.tihave I oppressed אֶת־'et-<obj.>מִ֣יmiwhom?רַצּ֔וֹתִיra.Tzo.tihave I crushed וּמִיַּד־u./mi./yad-and/ from/ [the] hand of מִי֙miwhom?לָקַ֣חְתִּיla.Kach.tihave I taken כֹ֔פֶרKho.fera ransom וְאַעְלִ֥יםve./'a'.Limso/ I may hide עֵינַ֖י'ei.Na/ieyes/ myבּ֑וֹb/oby <the>/ itוְאָשִׁ֖יבve./'a.Shivso/ I may restore [it]לָכֶֽם׃la./Khemto <the>/ you

King James Version

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

Cross-references

Acts 20:33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
Numbers 16:15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.”
Deuteronomy 16:19 Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
1 Samuel 24:6 So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
1 Peter 5:2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
Exodus 23:8 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
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 12:5 Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”