1Sa 12:14 | KD | STEP | Still, since the Lord had given them a king, the further welfare of the nation would depend upon whether they would follow the Lord from that time forward, or whether they would rebel against Him again. “ If ye will only fear the Lord, and serve Him, ... and ye as well as the king who rules over you will be after Jehovah your God .” אם, in the sense of modo , if only, does not require any apodosis, as it is virtually equivalent to the wish, “ O that ye would only! ” for which אם with the imperfect is commonly used (vid., 2Ki 20:19; , etc.; and Ewald , §329, b .). There is also nothing to be supplied to יהוה אחר ... והיתם, since אחר היה, to be after or behind a person, is good Hebrew, and is frequently met with, particularly in the sense of attaching one’s self to the king, or holding to him (vid., ; 1Ki 12:20; 1Ki 16:21-22). This meaning is also at the foundation of the present passage, as Jehovah was the God-king of Israel.

‏ 1 Samuel 12:14

Still, since the Lord had given them a king, the further welfare of the nation would depend upon whether they would follow the Lord from that time forward, or whether they would rebel against Him again. “If ye will only fear the Lord, and serve Him, ... and ye as well as the king who rules over you will be after Jehovah your God.” אם, in the sense of modo, if only, does not require any apodosis, as it is virtually equivalent to the wish, “O that ye would only!” for which אם with the imperfect is commonly used (vid., 2Ki 20:19; Pro 24:11, etc.; and Ewald, §329, b.). There is also nothing to be supplied to יהוה אחר ... והיתם, since אחר היה, to be after or behind a person, is good Hebrew, and is frequently met with, particularly in the sense of attaching one’s self to the king, or holding to him (vid., 2Sa 2:10; 1Ki 12:20; 1Ki 16:21-22). This meaning is also at the foundation of the present passage, as Jehovah was the God-king of Israel.