1 Samuel 12:21

Do not abandon Yahweh and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you from your enemies, because they are truly useless.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

In Context

20Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid! You have done this evil thing, but do not turn away from doing the things that Yahweh wants you to do. Instead, serve Yahweh wholeheartedly.

22Yahweh decided to make us his people. So he will not abandon us people whom he has chosen, because he would injure his own reputation of being completely faithful if he did that.

Read all of 1 Samuel 12

Cross References

Deuteronomy 30:17But if you turn away from Yahweh and refuse to heed what he says, and if you allow yourselves to be led away to worship other gods,

2 Kings 17:15They rejected Yahweh’s laws and the agreement that he had made with their ancestors. They ignored Yahweh’s warnings. They worshiped worthless idols and as a result they themselves became worthless. Although Yahweh had commanded them not to imitate the evil behavior of the people-groups that lived near them, they disobeyed that command.

Isaiah 41:23Yes, those idols should tell us what will happen in the future. If they do that, we will know that they are really gods. Tell them to do something—either something good or something bad! Tell them to do something that will cause us to be amazed and afraid!

Isaiah 44:9All those who make idols are foolish, and the idols that they ◄think highly of/greatly respect► are worthless. And the people who worship those idols— it is as though they are blind, and they will be ashamed for having worshiped those idols.

Isaiah 46:7They lift it up and carry it on their shoulders. They put it in a special place, and it stays there. It cannot move! And when someone prays to it, it does not answer. So obviously it cannot rescue anyone from his troubles!

Jeremiah 2:13You, my people, have done two evil things: You have rejected me, the one who is like [MET] a fountain where you can obtain fresh water, and you are worshiping gods that are like [MET] pits in the ground that are cracked and which are not able to hold any water.

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 12:17-25

Samuel Calls for Thunder; Samuel Encourages and Comforts Israel. ( b. c. 1069.) 16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord , and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord , in asking you a king. 18 So Samuel called unto the Lord ; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Samuel 12:21