Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, April 12th, 2026
Second Sunday after Easter
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Wycliffe Bible

1 Samuel 12:17

Whether heruest of whete is not `to dai? I schal inwardli clepe the Lord, and he schal yyue voices, `that is, thundris, and reynes; and ye schulen wite, and schulen se, for ye axynge a kyng on you han do greuouse yuel to you in the siyt of the Lord.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena;   Miracles;   Rain;   Repentance;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thunder;   Thompson Chain Reference - Agriculture;   Agriculture-Horticulture;   Harvest;   Meteorology;   Samuel;   Weather;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Harvest, the;   Kings;   Rain;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Clouds;   Thunder;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - King, Kingship;   Mediator, Mediation;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Thunder;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Rain;   Thunder;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cloud;   Samuel;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Famine;   Israel;   Kingdom of God;   Samuel, Books of;   Thunder;   Wheat;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Agriculture;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Harvest;   Saul;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Thunder;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Knit;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Harvest;   Omnipotence;   Palestine;   Thunder;   Wheat;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cloud;   Sanhedrin;   Wheat;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Isn’t the wheat harvest today? I will call on the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain so that you will recognize what an immense evil you committed in the Lord’s sight by requesting a king for yourselves.”
Hebrew Names Version
Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Is the wheat harvest not today? I will call out to Yahweh so that he still sends thunder and rain, so that you will know and will see that your wickedness is great that you have done in the eyes of Yahweh by asking for a king for yourselves."
English Standard Version
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord , that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord , in asking for yourselves a king."
New Century Version
It is now the time of the wheat harvest. I will pray for the Lord to send thunder and rain. Then you will know what an evil thing you did against the Lord when you asked for a king."
New English Translation
Is this not the time of the wheat harvest? I will call on the Lord so that he makes it thunder and rain. Realize and see what a great sin you have committed before the Lord by asking for a king for yourselves."
Amplified Bible
"Is it not [the beginning of the] wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD and He will send thunder and rain; then you will know [without any doubt], and see that your evil which you have done is great in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king."
New American Standard Bible
"Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that He will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD, by asking for yourselves a king."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Is it not nowe wheat haruest? I wil call vnto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and raine, that yee may perceiue and see, howe that your wickednesse is great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King.
Legacy Standard Bible
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the eyes of Yahweh by asking for yourselves a king."
Contemporary English Version
Isn't this the dry season? I'm going to ask the Lord to send a thunderstorm. When you see it, you will realize how wrong you were to ask for a king.
Complete Jewish Bible
Now is wheat harvest time, isn't it? I am going to call on Adonai to send thunder and rain. Then you will understand and see how wicked from Adonai 's viewpoint is the thing you have done in asking for a king."
Darby Translation
Is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, and he will send thunder and rain; and ye shall perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah in asking for yourselves a king.
Easy-to-Read Version
Now is the time of the wheat harvest. I will pray to the Lord and ask him to send thunder and rain. Then you will know you did a very bad thing against the Lord when you asked for a king."
George Lamsa Translation
Behold, it is wheat harvest today; I will call to the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, in that you have asked for yourselves a king.
Good News Translation
It's the dry season, isn't it? But I will pray, and the Lord will send thunder and rain. When this happens, you will realize that you committed a great sin against the Lord when you asked him for a king."
Literal Translation
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah and He will give sounds and rain. And know and see that your evil is great, that which you have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask a king for yourselves.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Is not now the wheate haruest? Yet wyll I call vpo the LORDE, so that he shal cause it thonder and rayne, that ye shall knowe and se the greate euell, which ye haue done in the sight of the LORDE, in that ye haue desyred to haue a kynge.
American Standard Version
Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king.
Bible in Basic English
Is it not now the time of the grain cutting? My cry will go up to the Lord and he will send thunder and rain: so that you may see and be conscious of your great sin which you have done in the eyes of the Lord in desiring a king for yourselves.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Is it not nowe wheate hearuest? I will call vnto the Lorde, & he shal sende thunder & rayne, that ye may perceaue and see howe that your wickednes is great which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a king.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.'
King James Version (1611)
Is it not wheat haruest to day? I will call vnto the Lord, and hee shall send thunder and raine, that ye may perceiue and see that your wickednesse is great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a King.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; and know ye and see, that your wickedness is great which ye have wrought before the Lord, having asked for yourselves a king.
English Revised Version
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.
Berean Standard Bible
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king."
Young's Literal Translation
is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I call unto Jehovah, and He doth give voices and rain; and know ye and see that your evil is great which ye have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask for you a king.'
Update Bible Version
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves a king.
Webster's Bible Translation
[Is it] not wheat-harvest to-day? I will call to the LORD, and he will 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.
World English Bible
Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking you a king.
New King James Version
Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves."
New Living Translation
You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!"
New Life Bible
Is it not the time to gather grain today? I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that you have done a bad sin in the eyes of the Lord by asking for a king."
New Revised Standard
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord , that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that the wickedness that you have done in the sight of the Lord is great in demanding a king for yourselves."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Is it not wheat harvest, to-day? I will cry unto Yahweh, that he may give forth thunderings and rain, - know ye then and see, that, your wrong, is great which ye have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves, a king.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know, and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.
Revised Standard Version
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king."

Contextual Overview

16 But also now stonde ye, and se this gret thing which the Lord schal make in youre siyt. 17 Whether heruest of whete is not `to dai? I schal inwardli clepe the Lord, and he schal yyue voices, `that is, thundris, and reynes; and ye schulen wite, and schulen se, for ye axynge a kyng on you han do greuouse yuel to you in the siyt of the Lord. 18 And Samuel criede to the Lord, and the Lord yaf voices and reynes in that dai. 19 And al the puple dredde greetli the Lord and Samuel; and al the puple seide to Samuel, Preye thou for thi seruauntis to thi Lord God, that we die not; for we addiden yuel to alle oure synnes, that we axiden a kyng to vs. 20 Forsothe Samuel seide to the puple, `Nyle ye drede; ye han do al this yuel; netheles `nyle ye go awey fro the bak of the Lord, but serue ye the Lord in al youre herte; 21 and nyle ye bowe aftir veyn thingis, that schulen not profite to you, nether schulen delyuere you; for tho ben veyn thingis. 22 And the Lord schal not forsake his puple for his grete name; for the Lord swoor to make you a puple to hym silf. 23 Forsothe this synne be fer fro me in the Lord, that Y ceesse to preye for you; and Y schal teche you a riytful weie and good. 24 Therfor drede ye the Lord, and `serue ye hym in treuthe, and of al youre herte; for ye sien tho grete thingis, whiche he `dide in you; 25 that if ye contynuen in malice, bothe ye and youre kyng schulen perische to gidere.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Is it: In northern latitudes, thunder and rain are far from being un-common during harvest. But rain is hardly ever known in Palestine during that season, which commences about the end of June, or beginning of July. This fact is abundantly confirmed by modern travellers, and is demonstrative to every unprejudiced reader of the Holy Scriptures, that the thunder and rain, which at Samuel's invocation, was sent at this season of the year, was a miraculous interposition of the power of God; for we read in 1 Samuel 12:16, it was a "great thing which the Lord will do." Thus were the Israelites warned of their sin in having asked a king, and of the omnipotence of that God, whose gracious promises they virtually neglected by this act. Proverbs 26:1

I will call: 1 Samuel 7:9, 1 Samuel 7:10, Joshua 10:12, Psalms 99:6, Jeremiah 15:1, James 5:16-18

your wickedness: 1 Samuel 8:7

Reciprocal: Exodus 9:23 - the Lord sent Exodus 19:16 - thunders Judges 2:17 - they would 1 Samuel 8:5 - now make 1 Samuel 8:6 - displeased 1 Samuel 10:19 - And ye have 1 Samuel 11:15 - rejoiced greatly 1 Samuel 31:6 - General 2 Samuel 22:14 - thundered Ezra 10:9 - trembling Job 38:28 - Hath the Isaiah 29:6 - General Jeremiah 10:13 - maketh

Cross-References

Genesis 12:14
And so whanne Abram hadde entrid in to Egipt, Egipcians sien the womman that sche was ful fair; and the prynces telden to Farao, and preiseden hir anentis him;
Genesis 12:15
and the womman was takun vp in to the hous of Farao.
Genesis 20:18
for God hadde closid ech wombe of the hows of Abymelech, for Sare, the wijf of Abraham.
1 Chronicles 16:21
He suffride not ony man falseli chalenge hem; but he blamyde kyngis for hem.
1 Chronicles 21:22
And Dauid seide to hym, Yyue the place of thi cornfloor to me, that Y bilde ther ynne an auter to the Lord; so that thou take as myche siluer as it is worth, and that the veniaunce ceesse fro the puple.
Job 34:19
`Which takith not the persoones of princes, nether knew a tyraunt, whanne he stryuede ayens a pore man; for alle men ben the werk of hise hondis.
Hebrews 13:4
`Wedding is in alle thingis onourable, and bed vnwemmed; for God schal deme fornicatouris and auouteris.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Is it not wheat harvest today?.... Of the time of wheat harvest, :-. Rain usually fell in Judea only twice a year, called the former and the latter rain; and from the seventeenth of Nisan or March, to the sixteenth of Marchesvan or October, it was not usual for rain to fall, and so not in harvest, at that time especially, see Proverbs 26:1. R. Joseph Kimchi says, in the land of Israel rain never fell all the days of harvest; and this is confirmed by Jerom, who lived long in those parts; who says o, at the end of the month of June, and in the month of July, we never saw rain in those provinces, especially in Judea. And Samuel not only by putting this question would have them observe that it was the time of wheat harvest in general, but on that day in particular the men, were at work in the fields reaping the wheat, c. and so was not cloudy, and inclining to rain, but all serene and clear, or otherwise they would not have been employed in cutting down the corn all which made the following case the more remarkable:

I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; in a miraculous and preternatural way, there being nothing in nature preparatory thereunto, and this purely at the prayer of Samuel:

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; was attended with aggravated circumstances, and highly offensive to God, though he had gratified them in it, of which this violent storm would be an indication, and might serve to convince them of their folly, as well as of their wickedness, and that they had no need of a king, since Samuel their judge could do as much or more by his prayers than a king could do by his sword; and of which they had had sufficient proof before this, and that in the same way, 1 Samuel 7:10.

o Comment. in Amos iv. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wheat harvest - Between May 15 and June 15. Jerome’s testimony (that of an eye-witness) “I have never seen rain in the end of June, or in July, in Judaea” is borne out by modern travelers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 12:17. Is it not wheat harvest to-day? — That is, This is the time of wheat harvest. According to St. Jerome, who spent several years in the promised land, this harvest commenced about the end of June or beginning of July, in which he says he never saw rain in Judea: Nunquam enim in fine mensis Junii, sive in mense Julio, in his provinciis, maximeque in Judea, pluvias vidimus. - HIER. in Amos 4:7; where he refers to this very history. What occurred now hardly ever occurs there but in the winter months.


 
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