1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel said to all Israel, "Look, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all things that you have said to me, and I have set a king over you.

2 Now, look, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and look, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.

And now, behold, the king goes before you; and I am grown old and shall rest; and, behold, my sons [are] amongst you; and, behold, I have gone about before you from my youth to this day.

3 Here I am. Testify 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 from whose hand have I taken a bribe, or a shoe? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you."

Behold, [here am] I, answer against me before the Lord and before his anointed: whose calf have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom of you have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, even [to] a sandal? bear witness against me, and I will make restitution to you.

4 They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man's hand."

And they said to Samuel, You have not injured us, and you have not oppressed us; and you have not afflicted us, and you have not taken anything from any one's hand.

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

And Samuel said to the people, The Lord [is] witness amongst you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand: and they said, [He is] witness.

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

And Samuel spoke to the people, saying, The Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron [is] witness, who brought our fathers up out 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.

And now stand still, and I will judge you before the Lord; and I will relate to you all the righteousness of the Lord, the things which he has wrought amongst you and your fathers.

8 "When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

When Jacob and his sons went into Egypt, and Egypt humbled them, then our fathers cried to the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron; and they brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he made them to dwell 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.

And they forgot the Lord their God, and he sold them into the hands of Sisara captain of the host of Jabis king of Asor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the king of Moab; and he fought with them.

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

And they cried to the Lord, and said, We have sinned, for we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and the groves: and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.

11 Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Barak, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

And he sent Jerobaal, and Barac, and Jephthae, and Samuel, and rescued us out of the hand of our enemies round about, and you lived in security.

12 "When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us;' when Jehovah your God was your king.

And you saw that Naas king of the children of Ammon came against you, and you said, Nay, none but a king shall reign over us; whereas the Lord our God [is] our king.

13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and look, Jehovah has set a king over you.

And now behold the king whom you have chosen; and behold, the Lord has set a king over you.

14 If you will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Jehovah your God, then he will rescue you.

If you should fear the Lord, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not resist the mouth of the Lord, and you and your king that reigns over you should follow the Lord, [well].

15 But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you, and against your king to destroy you.

But if you should not listen to the voice of the Lord, and you should resist the mouth of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be upon you and upon your king.

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

And now stand still, and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes.

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

[Is it] not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; and know you and see, that your wickedness [is] great which you have wrought before the Lord, having asked 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.

And Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunders and rain in that day; and all the people feared greatly the Lord and Samuel.

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

And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, and let us not die; for we have added to all our sins this iniquity, in asking for us a king.

20 Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.

And Samuel said to the people, Fear not: you have [indeed] wrought all this iniquity; only turn not from following the Lord, and serve the Lord with all your heart.

21 Do not turn aside to go after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

And turn not aside after the [gods] that are nothing, who will do nothing, and will not deliver [you], because they are nothing.

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 Lord will not cast off his people for his great name's sake, because the Lord graciously took you to himself for a people.

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.

And far be it from me to sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will serve the Lord, and show you the good and the right way.

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 the Lord, and serve him in truth and with all your heart, for you see what great things he has wrought with you.

25 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."

But if you continue to do evil, then shall you and your king be consumed.