I Samuel 12:24
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Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Lastly, he repeats once more his admonition, that they would continue stedfast in the fear of God, threatening at the same time the destruction of both king and people if they should do wrong (on Sa1 12:24, see Sa1 7:3 and Jos 24:14, where the form יראוּ is also found). "For see what great things He has done for you" (shown to you), not by causing it to thunder and rain at Samuel's prayer, but by giving them a king. עם הגדּיל, as in Gen 19:19.
Open source ↗We left the general assembly of the states together, in the close of the foregoing chapter; in this chapter we have Samuel's speech to them, when he resigned the government into the hands of Saul, in which, I. He clears himself from all suspicion or imputation of mismanagement, while the administration was in his hands (Sa1 12:1-5). II. He reminds them of the great things God had done for them and for their fathers (Sa1 12:6-13). III. He sets before them good and evil, the blessing and the curse (Sa1 12:14, Sa1 12:15). IV. He awakens them to regard what he said to them, by calling to God for thunder (Sa1 12:16-19). V. He encourages them with hopes that all should be well (Sa1 12:20-25). This is his farewell sermon to that august assembly and Saul's coronation sermon.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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He is your praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome wonders that your eyes have seen.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
“For our God is a consuming fire.”
At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame.
The blood on the houses where you are staying will distinguish them; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will fall on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.