1 Samuel 12:1–25

Original Meaning

Samuel’s Faithful Ministry (12:1–5)

IT IS TIME for Samuel to clear the air. Under his tenure, things were fair and equitable. Before this national assembly of “all Israel,” Samuel challenges the people to “testify against” him (12:3). Has he “taken” anything that was not rightfully his? Has he taken another’s ox or donkey? Has he cheated or oppressed anyone in Israel? Has he been guilty of accepting bribes when pronouncing judgment? Having no accusers, Samuel is satisfied that he has been vindicated. Note the key term in this passage, “take” (lqḥ, four times in vv. 3–4, though obscured by NIV).

The claim that Samuel has not taken anything unlawfully or unjustly relates this speech with the one in 8:11–18.1 There Samuel detailed “the way of the king,” who would “take” everything they hold dear, including their freedom. The text also anticipates David’s taking of Bathsheba, which is the ultimate portrait of the grasping king (2 Sam. 11:4). The contrast between the new kingship and the older prophetic leadership is clear. The older theocracy was better because it provided the same guidance and protection through faith. But the Israelites have received what they demanded.

Samuel has vindicated himself and his role in the former theocracy, which ruled the tribes of Israel during the judges period. But his speech has also emphasized the responsibility of the new king to maintain the same high standard of just and righteous leadership. The Israelites are to consider his faithfulness “in the presence of the LORD and his anointed” (12:3; see also v. 5). In Samuel’s reference to the Lord’s “anointed” (m^ešiḥo, “his messiah”), he stresses the role of the new king to uphold Yahweh’s rule among his people. Samuel is innocent of any wrongdoing, either in his leadership of the past or in his role as kingmaker. Now the burden rests on Saul.

Samuel’s Farewell Charge to the Israelites (12:6–15)

Bridging Contexts

TRANSITION SPEECHES. This chapter is commonly referred to as Samuel’s “farewell address,” and I have referred to it as such here. It is true enough that Samuel is bringing to a close his pivotal role as judge-deliverer (cf. 1 Sam. 7). But his death is not recorded until 1 Samuel 28, and he will continue to play an important role for some time to come, including the anointing of another king (David in ch. 16). Rather than a “farewell” speech, then, Samuel’s sermon before the national assembly is the final step in making Saul king, and it prepares us for Saul’s ultimate rejection in chapters 13–15. Samuel’s speech contrasts his own faithfulness with the infidelity of Israel. They are responsible for having a king, and if that king proves to be a failure, it is their own causing. Furthermore, the chapter reconfigures Samuel’s role as prophet and shapes all Israelite prophets to follow him. So Samuel’s address is not as much a “good-bye” speech as it is a refocusing of God’s covenant with Israel at this important transitional moment in their history.

In order for us to interpret this passage for our modern context, we must first consider its role in the larger scheme of biblical theology. This chapter serves an important role in the overall structure of the prophetic history extending from Deuteronomy and Joshua through 2 Kings (see comments on the Deuteronomistic Historian in the introduction).6 The historian uses certain great speeches (or prayers) of Israel’s most important figures to transition from one era to another. These passages serve as the organizational framework for the entire Deuteronomistic History. Thus Samuel’s speeches in 7:2–8:22 and 12:1–25 serve as bookends for the section explaining the origins of the Israelite monarchy and interpreting its theological significance.7

Thus, the historian has given us great speeches or prayers to flag the major turning points in Israel’s history. Some have concluded that Israel’s history can be divided into five periods: the Mosaic period, the period of the Conquest, the age of the judges, the period of the united monarchy (considering together Saul, David, and Solomon), and the Israelite and Judean kingdoms. These periods were then tied together literarily with summary passages (speeches or prayers). In other words, Deuteronomy 1–4 are speeches of Moses on the plains of Moab, which illustrate the way Deuteronomy concludes the Mosaic period. Joshua 23–24 are speeches of Joshua, concluding the Conquest and initiating the judges period. Our passage in 1 Samuel 12 brings the judges period to a close and focuses attention on the new period of monarchy. As we will see, 2 Samuel 7 is a speech of another prophet (Nathan), which focuses on the Davidic dynasty and the city of Jerusalem.8 Finally, the prayer of Solomon in 1 Kings 8 summarizes Israel’s history to that date and initiates the period of temple worship.

This helps us put 1 Samuel 12 in broader perspective. Just as 1 Samuel 7–8 and 12 serve as bookends for the establishment of the monarchy, so on a larger scale, Joshua 23–24 serve together with 1 Samuel 12 as bookends for the narrative of the judges. Not surprisingly the farewell speeches of Joshua and Samuel have important features in common. They both look back at the Mosaic covenant at Mount Sinai as the anchor that will hold Israel securely during a time of historical transition. Joshua 23–24 reflect on the covenant’s ramifications now that the Conquest is accomplished and life in the Promised Land begins. Samuel in 1 Samuel 12 likewise links the current generation of Israelites with the Mosaic covenant as he considers the end of the judges period and the beginning of life under the new monarchy.

In both cases, Joshua and Samuel are confident the old Sinai covenant will work in the circumstances of a new and uncertain situation. The old-time religion will certainly work for this new-fangled age. While Joshua and Samuel are confident of the Mosaic covenant, it is the people they have to worry about. The old-time religion is fine, as long as this new crowd is faithful.

The shared covenantal concerns of Joshua and Samuel have even led scholars to isolate a similar structure in their speeches (referring specifically to 1 Samuel 12:7–25 and Joshua 24:1–29).9 (1) The people take their stance to hear the words of the covenant (1 Sam. 12:7; cf. Josh. 24:1). (2) The people hear a review of Yahweh’s mighty acts on their behalf (1 Sam. 12:8–12; cf. Josh. 24:2–13). (3) The ancient covenant is related to the current momentous event (with the expression “and now,” 1 Sam. 12:13; cf. Josh. 24:14). (4) The covenant’s demands are listed for review (1 Sam. 12:20b–21; cf. Josh. 24:14). (5) Finally, the conditions of the covenant are stated in terms of blessings and curses (1 Sam. 12:14–15, 24–25; cf. Josh. 24:20). Failure to keep covenant will result in disaster; faithfulness will bring success.

In a sense, Samuel’s farewell address serves as a “second chance” for Israel. They have sinned, but God has incorporated their failure into his own plans. He is capable of overcoming their failure, of turning it into his means of salvation, and of giving them a new start. Each time Israel fails or begins a new venture, it seems Yahweh reestablishes the covenant and recommits himself never to abandon them. Whether it is their initial failure at Sinai (Ex. 32–35), the plains of Moab (Deut. 29:1), their new tribal confederation at Shechem (Josh. 24), or this covenant renewal at Gilgal (1 Sam. 12), Yahweh is their God and they are his people.

Contemporary Significance

GOD’S GRACE. God was constantly giving Israel second chances. This is fortunate for Israel because she was in constant need of a second chance. The covenant renewal at Gilgal combines with other covenant renewals in the Old Testament (esp. Ex. 32–35 and Deut. 29) to create a kind of mosaic—a collection of portraits of God’s gracious goodness toward Israel. The nation seemed unable to maintain a faithful and loyal relationship with God. Yet as fickle and undependable as Israel was, God seemed just as determined to provide grace to forgive and restore.

Samuel’s national assembly in 1 Samuel 12 illustrates two facets of the unmerited grace of God. (1) This episode highlights God’s grace to forgive. Israel was not deserving of a second chance. But in point of fact, this was more of a third, fourth, or fifth chance for the nation. This was one of the points of Samuel’s address in 12:7–13. Israel had rebelled under Moses and Aaron, they had failed to be faithful during the time of the judges, and now they had sinned again by demanding a king. At some point, one would wonder if God’s grace might give out. When does one exhaust the mercy of God and begin to worry that God might withhold his forgiveness?

But once again we see that the Old Testament narratives illustrate a truth taught explicitly in the New Testament—what Philip Yancey has called “the new math of grace.”10 Yancey rightly highlights the answer Jesus gave to Peter’s question about how many times we should forgive a brother who has sinned against us. Since current wisdom suggested three as the number of times one might be expected to forgive, Peter’s proposal seemed magnanimous: “Up to seven times?” (Matt. 18:21). But Jesus’ reply exposes the scandalous mathematics of God’s grace. A translational ambiguity in Matthew 18:22 makes it impossible to say whether Jesus meant 77 times or 490 times, but it matters little. The number was astronomical, and the point was that forgiveness is not something one can track with a calculator. There is no limit to God’s mercy.

The scandal of God’s grace to forgive is also made apparent in 1 Samuel 12 in that Israel is seemingly unaware of her need to seek forgiveness. Until Samuel’s address in verses 7–13, Israel seems oblivious to her need for grace, even though Samuel has warned against the demand for a king. So God’s grace is evident here not only in his forgiveness but also in his willingness to send Samuel to Israel in the first place. God’s grace to forgive takes shape first of all as grace to convict and uncover the hidden sinfulness of the human heart. Most Christians today stress only forgiveness as the ministry of God’s grace. But here the hard words of the prophet, bringing awareness that one is in need of forgiveness, are also a gift of God’s grace.

(2) The second facet of God’s unmerited grace in 1 Samuel 12 is his grace to reconfigure and redeem. We often speak of God’s grace, but we do so in too limited a fashion. We think of the grace of God to forgive, restore, empower, or even transform our lives into what they should be. These are obviously worthy topics, and in fact, they are features of what God’s grace accomplishes in our lives. But this passage illustrates something beyond these. Here the sin of Israel, the very act of rejecting God’s authority and demanding a new and worldly form of human rulership, is not only forgiven by God but is actually transformed by God into a new instrument of his grace. The very existence of a human king in national Israel—a result of Israel’s sinful demands—is reconfigured into a savior. The institution of kingship paves the way for David, and his greater Son, Jesus. In the hands of God, even our failures and tragically sinful choices can be completely remade into something new and redemptive.

This principle, the reconfiguration of our sins into a means of redemption in God’s gracious good hands, can be illustrated in the theme verse from the Joseph narrative. After the death of their father Jacob, the brothers of Joseph were afraid he would finally take his revenge on them for their betrayal so many years before. They threw themselves down before the mighty Joseph and begged forgiveness (Gen. 50:15–18). But Joseph reassured them that God had taken what they intended for evil and actually used it for good (50:20).

God indeed takes our frail attempts to serve him as well as our pitiable rebellions, and at times he reconstitutes and reconfigures them into a means whereby he saves us and others. His ultimate act of forgiveness and redemption for humankind was also the most hideous of sinful acts—the torturous execution of Jesus on a cross. We must learn to have great confidence that in the sovereign goodness of God, our meager service, no matter how flawed, can become a mighty ocean of love and grace in his hands (Rom. 8:28).

Original Meaning

Samuel’s Farewell Charge to the Israelites (12:6–15)

THE EXPRESSION “PRESENT YOURSELVES” (Heb. hityaṣṣ^ebu) in verses 7 and 16 mark these units as distinct (NIV “stand here” and “stand still”). Both usages prepare the audience to consider the mighty deeds of Yahweh. In the first (12:6–15), Samuel locates the people’s recent demand for a king in the context of their national history and confronts them with a choice for the future. Their ancestors benefited from the “righteous acts” of Yahweh (12:7), even though they sinned against him. In the second (12:16–25), the venerable prophet performs a new “great thing” of Yahweh in order to demonstrate the prophetic ministry they have forfeited and urges them to be faithful in the future.

The familiar sequence of events from the Exodus, the Sinai covenant, and the conquest of the Promised Land came to function as a kind of “creed” for ancient Israel.2 In this sermon, Samuel emphasizes in particular the judges period in order to show that regardless of how far short their ancestors fell, Yahweh never abandoned them. The cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and judge-provided deliverance was oft repeated and had, in fact, preserved the nation. Now this current generation of Israelites has grown dissatisfied with the theocratic system, just as their ancestors had grown tired of the manna in the desert (Num. 11:4–6).

So Samuel drives home their choice. He forces them to face the reality of a human king as opposed to the divinely provided judge-deliverers. Verse 13 is the hinge or central theme of the chapter.3 It is as if Samuel were saying, “Here! Here you are! This is the king you have chosen. You asked for him; you got him! Yahweh has given him to you.” They have indeed received a king, but he comes with divine restrictions. He can never really be like a Canaanite ruler, which is not in their best interests anyway. Instead, this is the king that Yahweh himself has provided.

Then, to prove that this is no omnipotent monarchy, Samuel outlines the conditions for its success (12:14–15). Reminiscent of the old-covenant blessings and curses, Samuel offers Israel two ways. They and their new king can be faithful to Yahweh and be blessed, or they can fail to obey Yahweh and be no better off than their ancestors, king or no king. In other words, everything has changed—and nothing has changed. They have a new political structure, but they must continue to serve Yahweh. Even the king who reigns over them must follow Yahweh.

Samuel Redefines His Role as Prophet (12:16–25)

Bridging Contexts

TRANSITION SPEECHES. This chapter is commonly referred to as Samuel’s “farewell address,” and I have referred to it as such here. It is true enough that Samuel is bringing to a close his pivotal role as judge-deliverer (cf. 1 Sam. 7). But his death is not recorded until 1 Samuel 28, and he will continue to play an important role for some time to come, including the anointing of another king (David in ch. 16). Rather than a “farewell” speech, then, Samuel’s sermon before the national assembly is the final step in making Saul king, and it prepares us for Saul’s ultimate rejection in chapters 13–15. Samuel’s speech contrasts his own faithfulness with the infidelity of Israel. They are responsible for having a king, and if that king proves to be a failure, it is their own causing. Furthermore, the chapter reconfigures Samuel’s role as prophet and shapes all Israelite prophets to follow him. So Samuel’s address is not as much a “good-bye” speech as it is a refocusing of God’s covenant with Israel at this important transitional moment in their history.

In order for us to interpret this passage for our modern context, we must first consider its role in the larger scheme of biblical theology. This chapter serves an important role in the overall structure of the prophetic history extending from Deuteronomy and Joshua through 2 Kings (see comments on the Deuteronomistic Historian in the introduction).6 The historian uses certain great speeches (or prayers) of Israel’s most important figures to transition from one era to another. These passages serve as the organizational framework for the entire Deuteronomistic History. Thus Samuel’s speeches in 7:2–8:22 and 12:1–25 serve as bookends for the section explaining the origins of the Israelite monarchy and interpreting its theological significance.7

Thus, the historian has given us great speeches or prayers to flag the major turning points in Israel’s history. Some have concluded that Israel’s history can be divided into five periods: the Mosaic period, the period of the Conquest, the age of the judges, the period of the united monarchy (considering together Saul, David, and Solomon), and the Israelite and Judean kingdoms. These periods were then tied together literarily with summary passages (speeches or prayers). In other words, Deuteronomy 1–4 are speeches of Moses on the plains of Moab, which illustrate the way Deuteronomy concludes the Mosaic period. Joshua 23–24 are speeches of Joshua, concluding the Conquest and initiating the judges period. Our passage in 1 Samuel 12 brings the judges period to a close and focuses attention on the new period of monarchy. As we will see, 2 Samuel 7 is a speech of another prophet (Nathan), which focuses on the Davidic dynasty and the city of Jerusalem.8 Finally, the prayer of Solomon in 1 Kings 8 summarizes Israel’s history to that date and initiates the period of temple worship.

This helps us put 1 Samuel 12 in broader perspective. Just as 1 Samuel 7–8 and 12 serve as bookends for the establishment of the monarchy, so on a larger scale, Joshua 23–24 serve together with 1 Samuel 12 as bookends for the narrative of the judges. Not surprisingly the farewell speeches of Joshua and Samuel have important features in common. They both look back at the Mosaic covenant at Mount Sinai as the anchor that will hold Israel securely during a time of historical transition. Joshua 23–24 reflect on the covenant’s ramifications now that the Conquest is accomplished and life in the Promised Land begins. Samuel in 1 Samuel 12 likewise links the current generation of Israelites with the Mosaic covenant as he considers the end of the judges period and the beginning of life under the new monarchy.

In both cases, Joshua and Samuel are confident the old Sinai covenant will work in the circumstances of a new and uncertain situation. The old-time religion will certainly work for this new-fangled age. While Joshua and Samuel are confident of the Mosaic covenant, it is the people they have to worry about. The old-time religion is fine, as long as this new crowd is faithful.

The shared covenantal concerns of Joshua and Samuel have even led scholars to isolate a similar structure in their speeches (referring specifically to 1 Samuel 12:7–25 and Joshua 24:1–29).9 (1) The people take their stance to hear the words of the covenant (1 Sam. 12:7; cf. Josh. 24:1). (2) The people hear a review of Yahweh’s mighty acts on their behalf (1 Sam. 12:8–12; cf. Josh. 24:2–13). (3) The ancient covenant is related to the current momentous event (with the expression “and now,” 1 Sam. 12:13; cf. Josh. 24:14). (4) The covenant’s demands are listed for review (1 Sam. 12:20b–21; cf. Josh. 24:14). (5) Finally, the conditions of the covenant are stated in terms of blessings and curses (1 Sam. 12:14–15, 24–25; cf. Josh. 24:20). Failure to keep covenant will result in disaster; faithfulness will bring success.

In a sense, Samuel’s farewell address serves as a “second chance” for Israel. They have sinned, but God has incorporated their failure into his own plans. He is capable of overcoming their failure, of turning it into his means of salvation, and of giving them a new start. Each time Israel fails or begins a new venture, it seems Yahweh reestablishes the covenant and recommits himself never to abandon them. Whether it is their initial failure at Sinai (Ex. 32–35), the plains of Moab (Deut. 29:1), their new tribal confederation at Shechem (Josh. 24), or this covenant renewal at Gilgal (1 Sam. 12), Yahweh is their God and they are his people.

Contemporary Significance

GOD’S GRACE. God was constantly giving Israel second chances. This is fortunate for Israel because she was in constant need of a second chance. The covenant renewal at Gilgal combines with other covenant renewals in the Old Testament (esp. Ex. 32–35 and Deut. 29) to create a kind of mosaic—a collection of portraits of God’s gracious goodness toward Israel. The nation seemed unable to maintain a faithful and loyal relationship with God. Yet as fickle and undependable as Israel was, God seemed just as determined to provide grace to forgive and restore.

Samuel’s national assembly in 1 Samuel 12 illustrates two facets of the unmerited grace of God. (1) This episode highlights God’s grace to forgive. Israel was not deserving of a second chance. But in point of fact, this was more of a third, fourth, or fifth chance for the nation. This was one of the points of Samuel’s address in 12:7–13. Israel had rebelled under Moses and Aaron, they had failed to be faithful during the time of the judges, and now they had sinned again by demanding a king. At some point, one would wonder if God’s grace might give out. When does one exhaust the mercy of God and begin to worry that God might withhold his forgiveness?

But once again we see that the Old Testament narratives illustrate a truth taught explicitly in the New Testament—what Philip Yancey has called “the new math of grace.”10 Yancey rightly highlights the answer Jesus gave to Peter’s question about how many times we should forgive a brother who has sinned against us. Since current wisdom suggested three as the number of times one might be expected to forgive, Peter’s proposal seemed magnanimous: “Up to seven times?” (Matt. 18:21). But Jesus’ reply exposes the scandalous mathematics of God’s grace. A translational ambiguity in Matthew 18:22 makes it impossible to say whether Jesus meant 77 times or 490 times, but it matters little. The number was astronomical, and the point was that forgiveness is not something one can track with a calculator. There is no limit to God’s mercy.

The scandal of God’s grace to forgive is also made apparent in 1 Samuel 12 in that Israel is seemingly unaware of her need to seek forgiveness. Until Samuel’s address in verses 7–13, Israel seems oblivious to her need for grace, even though Samuel has warned against the demand for a king. So God’s grace is evident here not only in his forgiveness but also in his willingness to send Samuel to Israel in the first place. God’s grace to forgive takes shape first of all as grace to convict and uncover the hidden sinfulness of the human heart. Most Christians today stress only forgiveness as the ministry of God’s grace. But here the hard words of the prophet, bringing awareness that one is in need of forgiveness, are also a gift of God’s grace.

(2) The second facet of God’s unmerited grace in 1 Samuel 12 is his grace to reconfigure and redeem. We often speak of God’s grace, but we do so in too limited a fashion. We think of the grace of God to forgive, restore, empower, or even transform our lives into what they should be. These are obviously worthy topics, and in fact, they are features of what God’s grace accomplishes in our lives. But this passage illustrates something beyond these. Here the sin of Israel, the very act of rejecting God’s authority and demanding a new and worldly form of human rulership, is not only forgiven by God but is actually transformed by God into a new instrument of his grace. The very existence of a human king in national Israel—a result of Israel’s sinful demands—is reconfigured into a savior. The institution of kingship paves the way for David, and his greater Son, Jesus. In the hands of God, even our failures and tragically sinful choices can be completely remade into something new and redemptive.

This principle, the reconfiguration of our sins into a means of redemption in God’s gracious good hands, can be illustrated in the theme verse from the Joseph narrative. After the death of their father Jacob, the brothers of Joseph were afraid he would finally take his revenge on them for their betrayal so many years before. They threw themselves down before the mighty Joseph and begged forgiveness (Gen. 50:15–18). But Joseph reassured them that God had taken what they intended for evil and actually used it for good (50:20).

God indeed takes our frail attempts to serve him as well as our pitiable rebellions, and at times he reconstitutes and reconfigures them into a means whereby he saves us and others. His ultimate act of forgiveness and redemption for humankind was also the most hideous of sinful acts—the torturous execution of Jesus on a cross. We must learn to have great confidence that in the sovereign goodness of God, our meager service, no matter how flawed, can become a mighty ocean of love and grace in his hands (Rom. 8:28).

Original Meaning

Samuel Redefines His Role As Prophet (12:16–25)

FOR THE SAKE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS, it is critically important for the Israelites to properly define and understand the role of the new king. But just as important is the role of prophets in the new government. In order to make a lasting impression on this point, Samuel calls for a thunderstorm at wheat harvest (12:16–18). This harvest in ancient Israel fell during May and June, and it scarcely ever rained during this time.4 This demonstrates that Yahweh will continue to speak through prophets. Israel may have a new king and a new political structure, but they must never neglect the word of the servants of Yahweh, the prophets.

Samuel’s words and the miraculous storm drive the people to repentance and to a plea for Samuel to intercede on their behalf (12:19). Samuel begins his answer by reminding the people that they themselves have demanded a king (12:20–22). They have acted wickedly, but they are not without hope. If they remain true to Yahweh, avoiding all idolatry, he will not reject them, because he was pleased to make Israel his own. Despite the new political system, Yahweh still wants the intimate relationship with Israel, but only under the old-covenant terms.

Having duly charged the people to remain faithful, the rest of Samuel’s answer addresses his own responsibilities (12:23–25): “As for me….” Here Samuel inaugurates a new role for the prophet in Israel. To maintain the connections with the old covenant, Samuel’s new role arises from his prophetic relationship with Yahweh. His service will now consist in two things. (1) He will intercede with Yahweh for the people. (2) He will instruct them in “the way that is good and right.” In this way, Samuel becomes the paradigm for prophets as they appear later in Israel’s history, who consistently serve “as the people’s intercessor with Yahweh on the one hand and as the moral conscience of the kingdom on the other.”5

Bridging Contexts

TRANSITION SPEECHES. This chapter is commonly referred to as Samuel’s “farewell address,” and I have referred to it as such here. It is true enough that Samuel is bringing to a close his pivotal role as judge-deliverer (cf. 1 Sam. 7). But his death is not recorded until 1 Samuel 28, and he will continue to play an important role for some time to come, including the anointing of another king (David in ch. 16). Rather than a “farewell” speech, then, Samuel’s sermon before the national assembly is the final step in making Saul king, and it prepares us for Saul’s ultimate rejection in chapters 13–15. Samuel’s speech contrasts his own faithfulness with the infidelity of Israel. They are responsible for having a king, and if that king proves to be a failure, it is their own causing. Furthermore, the chapter reconfigures Samuel’s role as prophet and shapes all Israelite prophets to follow him. So Samuel’s address is not as much a “good-bye” speech as it is a refocusing of God’s covenant with Israel at this important transitional moment in their history.

In order for us to interpret this passage for our modern context, we must first consider its role in the larger scheme of biblical theology. This chapter serves an important role in the overall structure of the prophetic history extending from Deuteronomy and Joshua through 2 Kings (see comments on the Deuteronomistic Historian in the introduction).6 The historian uses certain great speeches (or prayers) of Israel’s most important figures to transition from one era to another. These passages serve as the organizational framework for the entire Deuteronomistic History. Thus Samuel’s speeches in 7:2–8:22 and 12:1–25 serve as bookends for the section explaining the origins of the Israelite monarchy and interpreting its theological significance.7

Thus, the historian has given us great speeches or prayers to flag the major turning points in Israel’s history. Some have concluded that Israel’s history can be divided into five periods: the Mosaic period, the period of the Conquest, the age of the judges, the period of the united monarchy (considering together Saul, David, and Solomon), and the Israelite and Judean kingdoms. These periods were then tied together literarily with summary passages (speeches or prayers). In other words, Deuteronomy 1–4 are speeches of Moses on the plains of Moab, which illustrate the way Deuteronomy concludes the Mosaic period. Joshua 23–24 are speeches of Joshua, concluding the Conquest and initiating the judges period. Our passage in 1 Samuel 12 brings the judges period to a close and focuses attention on the new period of monarchy. As we will see, 2 Samuel 7 is a speech of another prophet (Nathan), which focuses on the Davidic dynasty and the city of Jerusalem.8 Finally, the prayer of Solomon in 1 Kings 8 summarizes Israel’s history to that date and initiates the period of temple worship.

This helps us put 1 Samuel 12 in broader perspective. Just as 1 Samuel 7–8 and 12 serve as bookends for the establishment of the monarchy, so on a larger scale, Joshua 23–24 serve together with 1 Samuel 12 as bookends for the narrative of the judges. Not surprisingly the farewell speeches of Joshua and Samuel have important features in common. They both look back at the Mosaic covenant at Mount Sinai as the anchor that will hold Israel securely during a time of historical transition. Joshua 23–24 reflect on the covenant’s ramifications now that the Conquest is accomplished and life in the Promised Land begins. Samuel in 1 Samuel 12 likewise links the current generation of Israelites with the Mosaic covenant as he considers the end of the judges period and the beginning of life under the new monarchy.

In both cases, Joshua and Samuel are confident the old Sinai covenant will work in the circumstances of a new and uncertain situation. The old-time religion will certainly work for this new-fangled age. While Joshua and Samuel are confident of the Mosaic covenant, it is the people they have to worry about. The old-time religion is fine, as long as this new crowd is faithful.

The shared covenantal concerns of Joshua and Samuel have even led scholars to isolate a similar structure in their speeches (referring specifically to 1 Samuel 12:7–25 and Joshua 24:1–29).9 (1) The people take their stance to hear the words of the covenant (1 Sam. 12:7; cf. Josh. 24:1). (2) The people hear a review of Yahweh’s mighty acts on their behalf (1 Sam. 12:8–12; cf. Josh. 24:2–13). (3) The ancient covenant is related to the current momentous event (with the expression “and now,” 1 Sam. 12:13; cf. Josh. 24:14). (4) The covenant’s demands are listed for review (1 Sam. 12:20b–21; cf. Josh. 24:14). (5) Finally, the conditions of the covenant are stated in terms of blessings and curses (1 Sam. 12:14–15, 24–25; cf. Josh. 24:20). Failure to keep covenant will result in disaster; faithfulness will bring success.

In a sense, Samuel’s farewell address serves as a “second chance” for Israel. They have sinned, but God has incorporated their failure into his own plans. He is capable of overcoming their failure, of turning it into his means of salvation, and of giving them a new start. Each time Israel fails or begins a new venture, it seems Yahweh reestablishes the covenant and recommits himself never to abandon them. Whether it is their initial failure at Sinai (Ex. 32–35), the plains of Moab (Deut. 29:1), their new tribal confederation at Shechem (Josh. 24), or this covenant renewal at Gilgal (1 Sam. 12), Yahweh is their God and they are his people.

Contemporary Significance

GOD’S GRACE. God was constantly giving Israel second chances. This is fortunate for Israel because she was in constant need of a second chance. The covenant renewal at Gilgal combines with other covenant renewals in the Old Testament (esp. Ex. 32–35 and Deut. 29) to create a kind of mosaic—a collection of portraits of God’s gracious goodness toward Israel. The nation seemed unable to maintain a faithful and loyal relationship with God. Yet as fickle and undependable as Israel was, God seemed just as determined to provide grace to forgive and restore.

Samuel’s national assembly in 1 Samuel 12 illustrates two facets of the unmerited grace of God. (1) This episode highlights God’s grace to forgive. Israel was not deserving of a second chance. But in point of fact, this was more of a third, fourth, or fifth chance for the nation. This was one of the points of Samuel’s address in 12:7–13. Israel had rebelled under Moses and Aaron, they had failed to be faithful during the time of the judges, and now they had sinned again by demanding a king. At some point, one would wonder if God’s grace might give out. When does one exhaust the mercy of God and begin to worry that God might withhold his forgiveness?

But once again we see that the Old Testament narratives illustrate a truth taught explicitly in the New Testament—what Philip Yancey has called “the new math of grace.”10 Yancey rightly highlights the answer Jesus gave to Peter’s question about how many times we should forgive a brother who has sinned against us. Since current wisdom suggested three as the number of times one might be expected to forgive, Peter’s proposal seemed magnanimous: “Up to seven times?” (Matt. 18:21). But Jesus’ reply exposes the scandalous mathematics of God’s grace. A translational ambiguity in Matthew 18:22 makes it impossible to say whether Jesus meant 77 times or 490 times, but it matters little. The number was astronomical, and the point was that forgiveness is not something one can track with a calculator. There is no limit to God’s mercy.

The scandal of God’s grace to forgive is also made apparent in 1 Samuel 12 in that Israel is seemingly unaware of her need to seek forgiveness. Until Samuel’s address in verses 7–13, Israel seems oblivious to her need for grace, even though Samuel has warned against the demand for a king. So God’s grace is evident here not only in his forgiveness but also in his willingness to send Samuel to Israel in the first place. God’s grace to forgive takes shape first of all as grace to convict and uncover the hidden sinfulness of the human heart. Most Christians today stress only forgiveness as the ministry of God’s grace. But here the hard words of the prophet, bringing awareness that one is in need of forgiveness, are also a gift of God’s grace.

(2) The second facet of God’s unmerited grace in 1 Samuel 12 is his grace to reconfigure and redeem. We often speak of God’s grace, but we do so in too limited a fashion. We think of the grace of God to forgive, restore, empower, or even transform our lives into what they should be. These are obviously worthy topics, and in fact, they are features of what God’s grace accomplishes in our lives. But this passage illustrates something beyond these. Here the sin of Israel, the very act of rejecting God’s authority and demanding a new and worldly form of human rulership, is not only forgiven by God but is actually transformed by God into a new instrument of his grace. The very existence of a human king in national Israel—a result of Israel’s sinful demands—is reconfigured into a savior. The institution of kingship paves the way for David, and his greater Son, Jesus. In the hands of God, even our failures and tragically sinful choices can be completely remade into something new and redemptive.

This principle, the reconfiguration of our sins into a means of redemption in God’s gracious good hands, can be illustrated in the theme verse from the Joseph narrative. After the death of their father Jacob, the brothers of Joseph were afraid he would finally take his revenge on them for their betrayal so many years before. They threw themselves down before the mighty Joseph and begged forgiveness (Gen. 50:15–18). But Joseph reassured them that God had taken what they intended for evil and actually used it for good (50:20).

God indeed takes our frail attempts to serve him as well as our pitiable rebellions, and at times he reconstitutes and reconfigures them into a means whereby he saves us and others. His ultimate act of forgiveness and redemption for humankind was also the most hideous of sinful acts—the torturous execution of Jesus on a cross. We must learn to have great confidence that in the sovereign goodness of God, our meager service, no matter how flawed, can become a mighty ocean of love and grace in his hands (Rom. 8:28).