1 Samuel 12

1 And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you.

Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set a king over you.

2 And now, behold, the king walks before you. And I am old and gray headed, and, behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth to this day.

Now, here is the king walking before you; and I am old and gray; and, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until today.

3 Here I am. Witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? And I will restore it to you.

Here I am; testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you.”

4 And they said, Thou have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have thou taken anything of any man's hand.

They said, “You have not cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from any man's hand.”

5 And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness.

He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand.” They replied, “Yahweh is witness.”

6 And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.

7 Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.

Now then, present yourself, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh about all of the righteous deeds of Yahweh, which he did for you and your fathers.

8 When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

When Jacob came to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and they settled in this place.

9 But they forgot Jehovah their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

But they forgot Yahweh their God; he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the armies of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; these all fought against your ancestors.

10 And they cried to Jehovah, and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'

11 And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt in safety.

So Yahweh sent Jerub Baal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and gave you victory over your enemies all around you, so that you lived in security.

12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, when Jehovah your God was your king.

When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No! Instead, a king must reign over us'—although Yahweh your God, was your king.

13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for. And, behold, Jehovah has set a king over you.

Now here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as king over you.

14 If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then both ye and also the king who reigns over you shall be followers of Jehovah your God.

If you fear Yahweh, serve him, obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be followers of Yahweh your God.

15 But if ye will not hearken to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you as it was against your fathers.

If you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commands of Yahweh, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes.

Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh will do before your eyes.

17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah that he may send thunder and rain, and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah in asking a king for you.

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves a king.”

18 So Samuel called to Jehovah, and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

So Samuel called to Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.

19 And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to Jehovah thy God that we not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask a king for us.

Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil in asking for a king for ourselves.”

20 And Samuel said to the people, Fear not. Ye have indeed done all this evil, yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.

Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, but do not turn away from Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.

21 And turn ye not aside after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

Do not turn away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.

22 For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you a people to himself.

For the sake of his great name, Yahweh will not reject his people, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.

23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you. But I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. Instead, I will teach you the way that is good and right.

24 Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you.

Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the great things he has done for you.

25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be destroyed.”