1 Samuel 12 Samuel speaks

[seekeroftruth]

1 Samuel 12:1 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”

4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.”

“He is witness,” they said.​

I think Samuel wanted to make it clear.... he was a good leader. Samuel saw Eli's sons destroy Eli's ministry. Eli had become complacent, IMHO, about priesthood. Remember, he jumped to conclusions about Samuel's mom... Eli had accused her of being drunk in church when she was only praying fervently. Eli's sons were stealing from the people. Samuel was raised in the Temple.... and apparently, he never took anything from anyone. He's retiring from Judgeship with a clean employment record. He's going to hang on as Priest... but he doesn't have to lead the Nation of Israel anymore.... that's on Saul now.

This is from the easy English.

All the Israelites now accepted Saul as their king. Samuel had led them for a long time. He had been a good leader. Samuel had even given them the king that they wanted. Samuel was honest. He was fair. The people could trust him. He did not take anything from them. All the Israelites agreed with this. In chapter 8, Samuel had warned them that a king would take a lot from them. Perhaps Samuel wanted the king to hear how he should lead the people. God had chosen Samuel to lead the Israelites. Samuel led the Israelites in the way that God wanted. Then God chose and anointed Saul as king. Now Samuel wanted Saul to lead the Israelites in God’s way. Samuel was still the priest. The people could still trust Samuel to lead them as a good priest.

In verse 5, the people said ‘He is a witness’. ‘He’ could refer to the Lord or to the king as the witness.​

This is from Bible.org.

If Samuel is found “not guilty” of all the charges the Israelites have made against him, then by inference Israel must be guilty of having falsely made these charges. These first five verses of chapter 12 demonstrate that Samuel is qualified to judge Israel and therefore qualified to prosecute God’s case against them in the following verses. Samuel is innocent, and thus Israel wrongly seeks his removal. Samuel is innocent and therefore able to call this wayward nation to account for its sin of rejecting him and God.​

I think Samuel needed to debate the change from a Theocracy to kingdom. This isn't just a change from Democrat to Republican. Israel was a Theocracy. God was in charge of everything... EVERYTHING. Now since He's God... He's still in charge of everything.... but now instead of a Judge in the top earthly governmental seat.... there will be a king.

Samuel is still going to be the priest.... he's still around.... but his "position" has changed.

I keep think of the "eye of a needle" metaphore Jesus used. Saul is going from that pretty rich boy from a good family to king. There's a lot of power in that position. IMHO.... it's harder to be an honest servant king than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle... there's just too much temptation.... but I know... that's just crazy...