What is the context of 1 Samuel 10:19?

1 Samuel 10:19 is part of 1 Samuel chapter 10, which contains 27 verses. This verse has 6 cross-references to other scriptures, showing its connections throughout the Bible.

King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 10:19 Mean?

1 Samuel 10:19 in the King James Version says “And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye ...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.”

1 Samuel 10:19 · KJV

Salvation

Context

And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;

And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:

And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

Read 1 Samuel 10 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary

And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

Samuel's prophetic indictment is severe: requesting a king constituted rejecting God (ma'as, a strong term implying spurning or despising). The emphatic 'who himself' (hu asher) stresses God's personal agency in their deliverance - not distant providence but direct intervention. Their response to such salvation was 'Nay' (lo'), a flat contradiction. The word for 'adversities' (ra'ot) and 'tribulations' (tsarot) encompasses the full range of distresses God had resolved. Yet despite this indictment, God proceeds with the selection - demonstrating how He works even through sinful human choices. The command to 'present yourselves' (hityatsvu) by tribes and thousands (military units of 1,000) follows the organizational structure of the wilderness generation, connecting this moment to covenantal assembly patterns. God's anger does not prevent His gracious accommodation to human weakness.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Israel's tribal and military organization dated from the wilderness period when Moses structured the nation for both encampment and warfare. The 'thousands' (alaphim) were military-administrative units, typically extended families or clans capable of fielding fighting forces.

Reflection Questions

How might we 'reject' God while pursuing things He actually permits?
What does God's willingness to work through Israel's sinful request teach about His grace?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 24 words

וְאַתֶּ֨ם1 of 24

H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

הַיּ֜וֹם2 of 24

“And ye have this day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

מְאַסְתֶּ֣ם3 of 24

“rejected”

H3988

to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear

אֶת4 of 24

H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם5 of 24

“your God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

אֲשֶׁר6 of 24

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

ה֣וּא7 of 24

H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

מוֹשִׁ֣יעַ8 of 24

“who himself saved”

H3467

properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e., (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor

לָכֶם֮9 of 24

מִכָּל10 of 24

H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

רָעֽוֹתֵיכֶ֣ם11 of 24

“you out of all your adversities”

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

וְצָרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒12 of 24

“and your tribulations”

H6869

transitively, a female rival

וַתֹּ֣אמְרוּ13 of 24

“and ye have said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

ל֔וֹ14 of 24

כִּי15 of 24

H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

מֶ֖לֶךְ16 of 24

“a king”

H4428

a king

תָּשִׂ֣ים17 of 24

“unto him Nay but set”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

עָלֵ֑ינוּ18 of 24

H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

וְעַתָּ֗ה19 of 24

H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

הִֽתְיַצְּבוּ֙20 of 24

“over us Now therefore present”

H3320

to place (any thing so as to stay); reflexively, to station, offer, continue

לִפְנֵ֣י21 of 24

“yourselves before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

יְהוָ֔ה22 of 24

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֖ם23 of 24

“by your tribes”

H7626

a scion, i.e., (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan

וּלְאַלְפֵיכֶֽם׃24 of 24

“and by your thousands”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 10:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 10:19 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Samuel 12:12 1 Samuel 8:19 Joshua 24:1 Numbers 17:2 1 Samuel 8:6-9 1 Samuel 12:17-19

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