God delivers His people through faithful leaders so they may dwell in peace under His sovereign care.
“Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.” (v.11)
In this verse, the prophet Samuel reminds the nation of Israel that God was their true Deliverer, working through specific leaders across generations to rescue them from surrounding enemies. Jerubbaal here is the same man called Gideon in the book of Judges (Judges 6:32), who lived around the late 12th century BC and freed Israel from Midianite oppression. Bedan is a more obscure name; some scholars believe it may refer to another judge such as Barak or a less-documented individual who likewise served as a deliverer. Jephthah lived in the region of Gilead, east of the Jordan River, in the 11th century BC and delivered Israel from the Ammonites (Judges 11-12). Finally, Samuel himself, born in Ramah sometime around 1100 BC, was both a prophet and judge who helped guide Israel through various crises (1 Samuel 7:13-15).
By naming these figures, the verse highlights a pattern of Israel’s repeated turning away from God, experiencing oppression, and then crying out for help. Each time, the LORD responded by raising up a leader who would restore peace so that Israel lived in security. This security, however, depended on continued allegiance to God’s covenant. Samuel is pointing out that behind all these mighty deliverers, it was always the LORD who secured Israel’s safety.
Despite Israel’s tendency to forget God’s faithfulness, the verse underscores the LORD’s mercy. It also looks forward to a time when God would fully address sin and deliver forever, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah (John 3:16). As with the judges, God repeatedly demonstrates that He intervenes on behalf of His people, inviting them to trust Him as the ultimate King and Redeemer.
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1 Samuel 12:11 meaning
“Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.” (v.11)
In this verse, the prophet Samuel reminds the nation of Israel that God was their true Deliverer, working through specific leaders across generations to rescue them from surrounding enemies. Jerubbaal here is the same man called Gideon in the book of Judges (Judges 6:32), who lived around the late 12th century BC and freed Israel from Midianite oppression. Bedan is a more obscure name; some scholars believe it may refer to another judge such as Barak or a less-documented individual who likewise served as a deliverer. Jephthah lived in the region of Gilead, east of the Jordan River, in the 11th century BC and delivered Israel from the Ammonites (Judges 11-12). Finally, Samuel himself, born in Ramah sometime around 1100 BC, was both a prophet and judge who helped guide Israel through various crises (1 Samuel 7:13-15).
By naming these figures, the verse highlights a pattern of Israel’s repeated turning away from God, experiencing oppression, and then crying out for help. Each time, the LORD responded by raising up a leader who would restore peace so that Israel lived in security. This security, however, depended on continued allegiance to God’s covenant. Samuel is pointing out that behind all these mighty deliverers, it was always the LORD who secured Israel’s safety.
Despite Israel’s tendency to forget God’s faithfulness, the verse underscores the LORD’s mercy. It also looks forward to a time when God would fully address sin and deliver forever, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah (John 3:16). As with the judges, God repeatedly demonstrates that He intervenes on behalf of His people, inviting them to trust Him as the ultimate King and Redeemer.