The Meaning of 1 Samuel 12:14 Explained

1 Samuel 12:14

KJV: If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

YLT: If ye fear Jehovah, and have served Him, and hearkened to His voice, then ye do not provoke the mouth of Jehovah, and ye have been -- both ye and the king who hath reigned over you -- after Jehovah your God.

Darby: If ye fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and rebel not against the commandment of Jehovah, then both ye and the king also that reigns over you shall continue following Jehovah your God.

ASV: If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God, well :

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If ye will fear  the LORD,  and serve  him, and obey  his voice,  and not rebel  against the commandment  of the LORD,  then shall both ye and also the king  that reigneth  over you continue following  the LORD  your God: 

What does 1 Samuel 12:14 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

1 Samuel 12:14-25 - His Warning Confirmed From Heaven
Having handed his office over to Saul, who henceforth was to shepherd and lead the Chosen People, Samuel assured them that the Lord would not forsake them, "for his great name's sake," 1 Samuel 12:22. Oh, take these words to heart, and let them linger like a strain of sweet music in your memory! You may have missed the mark, lost your way, and drifted from the ancient moorings, but the love of God has not forsaken you. Being disappointed, it lingers; being repelled, it returns; being buffeted, it entreats. God's name-that is, His honor-is at stake. See Joshua 7:9; Isaiah 48:9; Isaiah 48:11.
Terrified by the thunder-storm, which was God's endorsement of His servant's faith, the people entreated for Samuel's continued prayers; and the aged seer assured them that he would count it a great sin if he ceased to pray for them. Prayerlessness is not only an evidence of a besotted and demoralized nature, but is in itself a sin which requires confession and cleansing. When the heart is right with God, prayer arises like a fountain, from unseen depths. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 12

1  Samuel testifies his integrity
6  He reproves the people of ingratitude
16  He terrifies them with thunder in harvest time
20  he comforts them in God's mercy

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 12:14 mean?

If you fear - Yahweh and serve Him and obey His voice and not do rebel against the commandment of Yahweh then will continue both you and the king who reigns over you following Yahweh your God
אִם־ תִּֽירְא֣וּ אֶת־ יְהוָ֗ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם בְּקֹל֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א תַמְר֖וּ אֶת־ פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וִהְיִתֶ֣ם גַּם־ אַתֶּ֗ם וְגַם־ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אַחַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם

תִּֽירְא֣וּ  you  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם  and  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם  and  obey 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּקֹל֔וֹ  His  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תַמְר֖וּ  do  rebel 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָרָה  
Sense: to be contentious, be rebellious, be refractory, be disobedient towards, be rebellious against.
אֶת־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
פִּ֣י  the  commandment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וִהְיִתֶ֣ם  then  will  continue 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
גַּם־  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מָלַ֣ךְ  reigns 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אַחַ֖ר  following 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).