1 Samuel 12

1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that all of you said unto 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 grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto 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 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it 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, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken ought 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 unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that all of you have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, 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 unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that 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 reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, 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 was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them 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 And when they forgotten about the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host 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 unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.

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 the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and all of you dwelled safe.

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 all of you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, all of you said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD 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 all of you have chosen, and whom all of you have desired! and, behold, the LORD 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 all of you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both all of you and also the king that reigns over you continue following the LORD 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 all of you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD 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 and see this great thing, which the LORD 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 to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that all of you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which all of you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

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 unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD 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 unto Samuel, Pray for your servants unto the LORD your God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

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 unto the people, Fear not: all of you have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD 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 all of you not aside: for then should all of you go 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 the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it has pleased the LORD to make you his people.

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, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you 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 the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how 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 all of you shall still do wickedly, all of you shall be consumed, both all of you and your king.

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