Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 Samuel 12:5

Samuel replied, "The Lord and the king he has chosen are witnesses today that you have found me to be completely innocent." "Yes, the Lord is our witness," they answered.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Samuel;   Thompson Chain Reference - Appeal to God;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Witness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jesus Christ, Name and Titles of;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Israel;   Samuel, Books of;   Witness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Anointed, the;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Saul;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Messi'ah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anointing;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bat Ḳol;   Messiah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and his anointed is a witness today that you haven’t found anything in my hand.”
Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, the LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, He is witness.
King James Version
And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
Lexham English Bible
So he said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." Then they said, "He is witness."
English Standard Version
And he said to them, "The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
New Century Version
Samuel said to them, "The Lord is a witness to what you have said. His appointed king is also a witness today that you did not find anything wrong in me." "He is our witness," they said.
New English Translation
He said to them, "The Lord is witness against you, and his chosen king is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me." They said, "He is witness!"
Amplified Bible
Samuel said to them, "The LORD is a witness against you, and [Saul] His anointed is a witness this day that you have not found anything in my hand." And they answered, "He is a witness."
New American Standard Bible
So he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he saide vnto them, The Lorde is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that yee haue founde nought in mine handes. And they answered, He is witnesse.
Legacy Standard Bible
So he said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
Contemporary English Version
Samuel said, "The Lord and his chosen king are witnesses to what you have said." "That's true," they replied.
Complete Jewish Bible
He said, " Adonai is witness against you, and his anointed king is witness against you today, that you have found nothing in my hands?" They replied, "He is witness."
Darby Translation
And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand! And [the people] said, [He is] witness!
Easy-to-Read Version
Samuel said to the Israelites, "The Lord and his chosen king are witnesses today. They heard what you said—that you found nothing wrong with me." The people answered, "Yes, the Lord is witness!"
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything wrong with me. And they said, He is witness.
Literal Translation
And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: The LORDE be witnesse agaynst you, and so be his anoynted this daye, that ye haue founde nothinge in my hade. They saide: Yee they shalbe witnesses.
American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
Bible in Basic English
Then he said, The Lord is witness against you, and the man on whom he has put the holy oil is witness this day that you have seen no wrong in me. And they said, He is witness.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He sayd vnto them againe: The Lord is witnesse against you, and his annoynted is witnesse this day, that ye haue found naught in my handes. And they aunswered: He is witnesse.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto them: 'The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand.' And they said: 'He is witness.'
King James Version (1611)
And hee said vnto them, The Lord is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that ye haue not found ought in my hand: And they answered, He is witnesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Samuel said to the people, The Lord is witness among you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand: and they said, He is witness.
English Revised Version
And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
Berean Standard Bible
Samuel said to them, "The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is a witness," they said.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, The Lord is witnesse ayens you, and his crist is witnesse in this day; for ye han not founde ony thing in myn hond. And thei seiden, Witnesse.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith unto them, `A witness [is] Jehovah against you: and a witness [is] His anointed this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand;' and they say, `A witness.'
Update Bible Version
And he said to them, Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they answered, [He is] witness.
World English Bible
He said to them, Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, He is witness.
New King James Version
Then he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they answered, "He is witness."
New Living Translation
"The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today," Samuel declared, "that my hands are clean." "Yes, he is a witness," they replied.
New Life Bible
Samuel said to them, "The Lord has heard you. And His chosen one has heard this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "The Lord has heard."
New Revised Standard
He said to them, "The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said unto them - Witness, is Yahweh against you, and, witness, is his Anointed, this day, that ye have not found in my hand, any thing! And they said: Witness!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.
Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
THE MESSAGE
"That settles it then," said Samuel. " God is witness, and his anointed is witness that you find nothing against me—no faults, no complaints."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."

Contextual Overview

1 Then Samuel said to the people of Israel, "I have done what you asked me to do. I have given you a king to rule you, 2 and now you have him to lead you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are with you. I have been your leader from my youth until now. 3 Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, accuse me now in the presence of the Lord and the king he has chosen. Have I taken anybody's cow or anybody's donkey? Have I cheated or oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone? If I have done any of these things, I will pay back what I have taken." 4 The people answered, "No, you have not cheated us or oppressed us; you have not taken anything from anyone." 5 Samuel replied, "The Lord and the king he has chosen are witnesses today that you have found me to be completely innocent." "Yes, the Lord is our witness," they answered.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The Lord: Job 31:35-40, Job 42:7

his anointed: 1 Samuel 26:9

ye have: John 18:38, Acts 23:9, Acts 24:16, Acts 24:20, 1 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 1:12

in my hand: Exodus 22:4, Psalms 17:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:50 - God Judges 11:10 - The Lord 1 Samuel 12:3 - his anointed Job 16:19 - my witness Jeremiah 42:5 - The Lord be Lamentations 4:20 - the anointed Malachi 2:14 - the Lord Hebrews 11:12 - as the sand

Cross-References

Genesis 10:19
until the Canaanite borders reached from Sidon southward to Gerar near Gaza, and eastward to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim near Lasha.
Genesis 11:31
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, who was the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, Abram's wife, and with them he left the city of Ur in Babylonia to go to the land of Canaan. They went as far as Haran and settled there.
Genesis 12:5
Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the wealth and all the slaves they had acquired in Haran, and they started out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,
Genesis 12:8
After that, he moved on south to the hill country east of the city of Bethel and set up his camp between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There also he built an altar and worshiped the Lord .
Genesis 12:9
Then he moved on from place to place, going toward the southern part of Canaan.
Genesis 14:14
When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he called together all the fighting men in his camp, 318 in all, and pursued the four kings all the way to Dan.
Genesis 14:21
The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Keep the loot, but give me back all my people."
Acts 7:4
And so he left his country and went to live in Haran. After Abraham's father died, God made him move to this land where you now live.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them, the Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day,.... Should they hereafter reproach and vilify him, and charge him with any acts of corruption, injustice, and violence:

that ye have not found ought in my hand; that they had nothing to accuse him of and charge him with throughout his whole administration, but had asserted his innocence and integrity, had honourably acquitted him, and given him a fair character: and they answered, he is witness; the omniscient God is a witness against us, should we depart from this testimony, and Saul, the Lord's anointed, is a witness that we have fully cleared thee from any imputations of maladministration. The word is singular, he "said" or answered g, that is, Israel said, the whole body of the people, they all replied as one man: the reason why Samuel made such a speech at this time, when he resigned his government to Saul, was not only to secure his own character, but to suggest to Saul how he should rule and govern according to his example; and that having established his own character, he could the more freely, and with the better grace, reprove the people for their sin, as in some following verses.

g ויאמר "et dixit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; Drusius.


 
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