1 Samuel 12:4
in 1 Samuel 12“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand.
KJV
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verseIn this way, too, Samuel, who judged the people so many years, and bore rule over Israel without any pride, in the end cleared himself, saying, "I have walked before you from my childhood even unto this day: answer me in the sight of God, and before His anointed; whose ox or whose ass of yours have I taken, or over whom have I tyrannized, or whom have I oppressed? or if I have received from the hand of any a bribe or [so much as] a shoe, speak out against me, and I will restore it to you."
This site's exposition
You have not wronged us or oppressed us
on 1 Samuel 12:4-5
The people answer, "You have not wronged us or oppressed us," and Samuel calls the LORD’s anointed as a second witness beside the LORD. The title anointed had appeared only at 2:10 and 2:35, and here the man who anointed Saul treats the office as fit to witness beside God. The exchange reads as a formal lawsuit, closed by the people’s "He is a witness."
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
That a priest must avoid covetousness even Samuel teaches when he proves before all the people that he has taken nothing from any one.
For Samuel also put together a high panegyric upon himself, when he anointed Saul, saying, "Whose ass have I taken, or calf, or shoes? or have I oppressed any of you?" And yet no one finds fault with him. And the reason is because he did not say it by way of setting off himself; but because he was going to appoint a king, he wishes under the form of a defence [of himself] to instruct him to be meek and gentle. And observe the wisdom of the prophet, or rather the loving kindness of God. For because he wished to turn them from [their design,] bringing together a number of grievous things he asserted them of their future king, as, for instance, that he would make their wives grind at the mill, the men shepherds and muleteers; for he went through all the service appertaining to the kingdom with minuteness. But when he saw that they would not be hindered by any of these things, but were incurably distempered; he thus both spareth them and composeth their king to gentleness. Therefore he also takes him to witness. For indeed no one was then bringing suit or charge against him that he needed to defend himself, but he said those things in order to make him better. And therefore also he added, to take down his pride, "If ye will hearken, ye and your king," such and such good things shall be yours; "but if ye will not hearken, then the reverse of all."
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 2 · Written before 604.
proposed
Because indeed he had been known by all for such great contempt of worldly things, there follows: 'And they said: You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor taken anything from anyone's hand. And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and His Christ is witness on this day, that you will not find anything in my hand. And they said: He is witness.'
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Like Nehemiah, he did not require the bread of the governor ( Neh. v. 18 ), had not only been righteous, but generous, had coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel, Acts xx. This honourable testimony borne to Samuel's integrity is left upon record to his honour (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And they said,.... One in the name of the rest, or they all cried out as one man: thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us; had done them no wrong, neither privately nor publicly, by fraud or by force: neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand; as a gift, present, or bribe, to fit your his cause.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Samuel said unto all Israel--This public address was made after the solemn re-instalment of Saul, and before the convention at Gilgal separated. Samuel, having challenged a review of his public life, received a unanimous testimony to the unsullied honor of his personal character, as well as the justice and integrity of his public administration.
They said, Thou hast not defrauded - Of what minister or governor can any nation under heaven say such things?
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ | ʾashaktanu | you have oppressed us | H6231 → | |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּ | ratzotanu | you have crushed us | H7533 → | |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| לָקַ֥חְתָּ | lakachta | you have taken | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִיַּד־ | miyad- | from [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מְאֽוּמָה׃ | meumah | anything | H3972 → | 32 times |
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּyou have oppressed us
ʾashaktanuH6231 →
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּyou have crushed us
ratzotanuH7533 →
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
לָקַ֥חְתָּyou have taken
lakachtaH3947 →966 times
מִיַּד־from [the] hand of
miyad-H3027 →1618 times
אִ֖ישׁanyone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מְאֽוּמָה׃anything
meumahH3972 →32 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
Daniel 6:4Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:16
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
- Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- 1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
- Luke 20:20
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of…
- 1 Peter 3:16
Through
3 John 1:12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 3:7
Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
- John 21:24
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.
- Acts 10:22
“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in…
- Acts 22:12
There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
- 1 Timothy 3:7
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 2; Irenaeus, AGAINST HERESIES 4.26.4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, LETTER 69.9; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON 2 CORINTHIANS 24.3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. G. Blaikie, The First Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).