1 Kings 12:23
And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you, and I will teach you the good and right way.
Open 1 Kings 12:23 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Absit autem a me hoc peccatum in Dominum, ut cessem orare pro vobis, et docebo vos viam bonam et rectam.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἐμοὶ μηδαμῶς τοῦ ἁμαρτεῖν τῷ κυρίῳ ἀνιέναι τοῦ προσεύχεσθαι περὶ ὑμῶν· καὶ δουλεύσω τῷ κυρίῳ, καὶ δείξω ὑμῖν τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἀγαθὴν καὶ τὴν εὐθεῖαν.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- גַּ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י חָלִ֤ילָה לִּי֙ מֵחֲטֹ֣א לַֽיהוָ֔ה מֵחֲדֹ֖ל לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעַדְכֶ֑ם וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ הַטּוֹבָ֖ה וְהַיְשָׁרָֽה
Haydock's commentary
The Lord. For a pastor to neglect instruction, is not only detrimental to the people, but injurious to God. (Haydock)
Way. None contributed more than Samuel to keep the people within due bounds, during the reign of Saul. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Homily XXIX on Rom. xv. 14
For before everything else this is what the teacher ought to have. Wherefore also to Peter Christ saith, “If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep.” ( John xxi. 16 .) For he who loveth Christ loveth also His flock. And Moses too did He then set over the people of the Jews, when he had shown a kindly feeling towards them. And David in this way came to be king, having been first seen to be affectionately-minded towards them; so much indeed, though yet young, did he grieve for the people, as to risk his life for them, when he killed that barbarian. But if he said, “What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine?” ( 1 Sam. xix. 5 ; ib. xvii. 26 ) he said it not in order to demand a reward, but out of a wish to have confidence placed in himself, and to have the battle with him delivered to his charge. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XV
[4.] For nothing doth so declare him that beareth rule as paternal affection for the ruled. For begetting alone constitutes not a father; but after begetting, also loving. But if where nature is concerned there is so great need of love, much more where grace is concerned. In this way were all the ancients distinguished. As many, for instance, as obtained a good report amongst the Hebrews, by this were made manifest. So was Samuel shown to be great, saying, “But God forbid that I should sin against God in ceasing to pray for you:” ( 1 Sam. xii. 23 .) so was David, so Abraham, so Elijah, and so each one of the righteous, those in the New Testament and those in the Old. For so Moses for the sake of those he ruled left so great riches and treasures untold, “choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God,” ( Heb. xi. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3
But, as I said, if we be active also ourselves, the prayers for us avail too. Hear Paul saying, “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation, through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” ( Philip. i. 19 .) And again, “That for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.” ( 2 Cor. i. 11 .) And thou sayest, what need have I of prayer? But if we be idle, no one will be able to profit us. What did Jeremiah profit the Jews? Did he not thrice draw nigh to God, and the third time hear, “Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer, for I will not hear thee”? ( Jer. vii. …
The Fathers are given as they wrote. Where a passage lays the Passion on the Jewish people, the Church teaches that it cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).