1 Samuel 12:14

“If you fear YHWH and serve him and listen to his voice and do not rebel against the command of YHWH, and both you and the king who reigns over you are following after YHWH your Elohim…”

1 Samuel 12:14 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

14

1 Samuel 12:14, word by word

you fearתִּירְאוּtiru

revere

To revere God, or honor one's parents.

Where else “tiru” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
and serveעֲבַדְתֶּםavadtem

worship

To honor and obey God, or other gods, as his people.

Where else “avadtem” appears
and listenשְׁמַעְתֶּםshematem

obey

To obey: "listen to the voice" of someone.

Where else “shematem” appears
to his voiceקֹלkol

voice

What is heard when someone speaks or sings; also the voice of God.

Where else “kol” appears
rebel againstתַמְרוּtamru

rebel

Rebel, resist what is commanded.

Where else “tamru” appears
the commandפִּיpi

command

Literally "the mouth": what someone says or decrees.

Where else “pi” appears
the kingמֶּלֶךְmelech

king

A king who rules a people.

Where else “melech” appears
reignsמָלַךְmalach

reign

To be king of a people, or to begin ruling it as king.

Where else “malach” appears
are followingהְיִתֶםheyitem

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “heyitem” appears
your Elohim…אֱלֹהֵיelohe

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohe” appears

Translation note

The Hebrew sentence may be left unfinished (then “it will go well with you” is understood), or its last words may be the conclusion: “then both you and the king… will follow YHWH your Elohim.”

The context

13And now, look, the king whom you have chosen, whom you asked for; and look, YHWH has set a king over you.

14 · This verse (above)

15But if you do not listen to the voice of YHWH and rebel against the command of YHWH, then the hand of YHWH will be against you and against your fathers.

Read all of 1 Samuel 12

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