1 Samuel

1 Samuel 12:19–23

¹⁹They 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.”

²⁰“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. ²¹Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty. ²²Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

²³As 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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 12:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They	כָל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
pleaded	וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
with	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Samuel	שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל	šə·mū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
Pray	הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל	hiṯ·pal·lêl	Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine singular	H6419 intervene, interpose
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
your God	אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God
for	בְּעַד־	bə·‘aḏ-	Preposition	H1157 separation
your servants	עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ	‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
so that we will not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
die	נָמ֑וּת	nā·mūṯ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural	H4191 die
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
we have added	יָסַ֤פְנוּ	yā·sap̄·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H3254 add
to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
our sins	חַטֹּאתֵ֙ינוּ֙	ḥaṭ·ṭō·ṯê·nū	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common plural	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
the evil	רָעָ֔ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
of asking	לִשְׁאֹ֥ל	liš·’ōl	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7592 ask, inquire
for	לָ֖נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
a king	מֶֽלֶךְ׃ס	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king

1 Samuel 12:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be afraid	תִּירָ֔אוּ	tî·rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H3372 fear
Samuel	שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל	šə·mū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
replied	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Even though you	אַתֶּ֣ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
have committed	עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם	‘ă·śî·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H6213 do, make
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
this	הַזֹּ֑את	haz·zōṯ	Article; Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
evil	הָרָעָ֖ה	hā·rā·‘āh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
turn aside	תָּס֙וּרוּ֙	tā·sū·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H5493 turn aside
from following	מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י	mê·’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition-m	H310 behind
the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
but serve	וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם	wa·‘ă·ḇaḏ·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H5647 work, serve
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
with all	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
your heart	לְבַבְכֶֽם׃	lə·ḇaḇ·ḵem	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine plural	H3824 inner man, mind, will, heart

1 Samuel 12:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	וְלֹ֖א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
turn aside	תָּס֑וּרוּ	tā·sū·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H5493 turn aside
after	אַחֲרֵ֣י	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
worthless	הַתֹּ֗הוּ	hat·tō·hū	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8414 formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
things that	אֲשֶׁ֧ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
cannot	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
profit	יוֹעִ֛ילוּ	yō·w·‘î·lū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3276 profit, avail, benefit
or deliver	יַצִּ֖ילוּ	yaṣ·ṣî·lū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5337 strip, plunder
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they	הֵֽמָּה׃	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
empty	תֹ֥הוּ	ṯō·hū	Noun - masculine singular	H8414 formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness

1 Samuel 12:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Indeed	כִּ֠י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
for the sake	בַּעֲב֖וּר	ba·‘ă·ḇūr	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H5668 crossed, transit, account
of His great	הַגָּד֑וֹל	hag·gā·ḏō·wl	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
name	שְׁמ֣וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
abandon	יִטֹּ֤שׁ	yiṭ·ṭōš	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5203 leave, forsake, permit
His people	עַמּ֔וֹ	‘am·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5971 people
because	כִּ֚י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
was pleased	הוֹאִ֣יל	hō·w·’îl	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2974 shew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake
to make	לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
you	אֶתְכֶ֛ם	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
His	ל֖וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular

1 Samuel 12:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As for	גַּ֣ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
me	אָנֹכִ֗י	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
far be it from me	חָלִ֤ילָה	ḥā·lî·lāh	Interjection; third person feminine singular	H2486 far be it
that I	לִּי֙	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
should sin	מֵחֲטֹ֣א	mê·ḥă·ṭō	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2398 miss
against the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
by ceasing	מֵחֲדֹ֖ל	mê·ḥă·ḏōl	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2308 cease
to pray	לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל	lə·hiṯ·pal·lêl	Preposition-l; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct	H6419 intervene, interpose
for you	בַּעַדְכֶ֑ם	ba·‘aḏ·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural	H1157 separation
And I will continue to teach	וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י	wə·hō·w·rê·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H3384 throw, shoot
you	אֶתְכֶ֔ם	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
the good	הַטּוֹבָ֖ה	haṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and right	וְהַיְשָׁרָֽה׃	wə·hay·šā·rāh	Conjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H3477 straight, right
way	בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ	bə·ḏe·reḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner