1 Samuel 12:14
in 1 Samuel 12If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God, well:
KJV
If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God:
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This verse in 1 Samuel 12
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThen, &c. - Hebrew. then shall-ye-be, (that is, walk, or go) after the Lord; that is, God shall still go before you, as he hath hitherto done, as your leader or governor, to direct, protect, and deliver you; and he will not forsake you, as you have given him just cause to do.
This site's exposition
Now here is the king you have chosen
on 1 Samuel 12:13-15
Samuel presents Saul as "the king you have chosen, the one you requested," then restates covenant terms older than the throne. If the people fear the LORD, both they and the king continue following Him. The king stands inside the covenant of Sinai, as Deuteronomy 17:14 to 20 required.
This site's exposition
then all will be well
The Hebrew closes the verse with the people and their king following after the LORD your God. John Wesley reads it as God still going before Israel as its leader, the place He held before any king. The king follows as well.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
If you fear the Lord and serve Him, etc. It is understood of all that he noted; because evidently by their merits, as the rule of their first king, so the entire kingdom which they demanded against the will of God, would have worse times …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 2 · Written before 604.
proposed
Hence, adding further, he says: "Now therefore, your king is here, whom you have chosen and requested. Behold, your God has given you a king. If you will fear God and serve Him and hear His voice and not provoke the mouth of the Lord, then both you and the king who rules over you will continue following the Lord your God. But if you will not hear the voice of the Lord, but provoke His words, the hand of the Lord will be against you and against your fathers."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And observe, Following God is a work that is its own wages. It is the matter of a promise as well as of a precept. (2.) "You shall continue under the divine guidance and protection:" You shall be after the Lord, so it is in the original, that is, "he will go before you to lead and prosper you, and make your way plain.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
If ye will fear the Lord, etc. - On condition that ye rebel no more, God will take you and your king under his merciful protection, and he and his kingdom shall be confirmed and continued.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Then both you. You will live to a ripe old age, both you and the king.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Then Adonoy's hand will be against you and against your forefathers. Meaning it will be against you after it was against your fathers. Our Rabbis however said, "against you and against your fathers" refers to the digging up of the dead, which is a disgrace upon the dead.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| תִּֽירְא֣וּ | tireu | you will fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם | vaavadtem | and you will serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֹתוֹ֙ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם | ushema'tem | and you will listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּקֹל֔וֹ | bekolo | to voice his | H6963 → | 506 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַמְר֖וּ | tamru | you will rebel against | H4784 → | 45 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פִּ֣י | pi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וִהְיִתֶ֣ם | vihyitem | and you will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | both | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אַתֶּ֗ם | ʾatem | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | <and> as well as | H1571 → | 769 times |
| הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| מָלַ֣ךְ | malakh | he has become king | H4427 → | 348 times |
| עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם | ʾaleikhem | over you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַחַ֖ר | ʾachar | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ | ʾeloheikhem | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
תִּֽירְא֣וּyou will fear
tireuH3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤םand you will serve
vaavadtemH5647 →288 times
אֹתוֹ֙<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣םand you will listen
ushema'temH8085 →1159 times
בְּקֹל֔וֹto voice his
bekoloH6963 →506 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תַמְר֖וּyou will rebel against
tamruH4784 →45 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פִּ֣י[the] mouth of
piH6310 →498 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וִהְיִתֶ֣םand you will be
vihyitemH1961 →3559 times
גַּם־both
gam-H1571 →769 times
אַתֶּ֗םyou
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
וְגַם־<and> as well as
vegam-H1571 →769 times
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
מָלַ֣ךְhe has become king
malakhH4427 →348 times
עֲלֵיכֶ֔םover you
ʾaleikhemH5921 →5755 times
אַחַ֖רafter
ʾacharH310 →715 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃God your
ʾeloheikhemH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
it leads to
- Psalms 128:1–2
Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways!
- Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Galatians 6:7–8
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.
- Ezekiel 18:9–19
He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD.
- Psalms 128:1–2
Through
Joshua 24:14Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 12:24
Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.
- Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your…
- Genesis 35:2
So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.
- 1 Samuel 12:24
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
