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.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי בְקֹֽלְכֶם לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־אֲמַרְתֶּם לִי וָאַמְלִיךְ עֲלֵיכֶם מֶֽלֶךְ׃

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.

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ ׀ מִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם וַֽאֲנִי זָקַנְתִּי וָשַׂבְתִּי וּבָנַי הִנָּם אִתְּכֶם וַֽאֲנִי הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶם מִנְּעֻרַי עַד־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

3 Here I am. Testify against me before the LORD, 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."

הִנְנִי עֲנוּ בִי נֶגֶד יְהֹוָה וְנֶגֶד מְשִׁיחוֹ אֶת־שׁוֹר ׀ מִי לָקַחְתִּי וַחֲמוֹר מִי לָקַחְתִּי וְאֶת־מִי עָשַׁקְתִּי אֶת־מִי רַצּוֹתִי וּמִיַּד־מִי לָקַחְתִּי כֹפֶר וְאַעְלִים עֵינַי בּוֹ וְאָשִׁיב לָכֶֽם׃

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

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא עֲשַׁקְתָּנוּ וְלֹא רַצּוֹתָנוּ וְלֹא־לָקַחְתָּ מִיַּד־אִישׁ מְאֽוּמָה׃

5 He said to them, "The LORD 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."

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם עֵד יְהֹוָה בָּכֶם וְעֵד מְשִׁיחוֹ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי לֹא מְצָאתֶם בְּיָדִי מְאוּמָה וַיֹּאמֶר עֵֽד׃

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

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־הָעָם יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן וַאֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת־אֲבֹתֵיכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

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

וְעַתָּה הִֽתְיַצְּבוּ וְאִשָּׁפְטָה אִתְּכֶם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֵת כׇּל־צִדְקוֹת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם וְאֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

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

כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּא יַעֲקֹב מִצְרָיִם וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם אֶל־יְהֹוָה וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן וַיּוֹצִיאוּ אֶת־אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם וַיֹּשִׁבוּם בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

9 "But they forgot the LORD 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.

וַֽיִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וַיִּמְכֹּר אֹתָם בְּיַד סִֽיסְרָא שַׂר־צְבָא חָצוֹר וּבְיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּבְיַד מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב וַיִּֽלָּחֲמוּ בָּֽם׃

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

וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה (ויאמר) [וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ] חָטָאנוּ כִּי עָזַבְנוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַנַּעֲבֹד אֶת־הַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת־הָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְעַתָּה הַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד אֹיְבֵינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃

11 The LORD 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.

וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהֹוָה אֶת־יְרֻבַּעַל וְאֶת־בְּדָן וְאֶת־יִפְתָּח וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵל וַיַּצֵּל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד אֹֽיְבֵיכֶם מִסָּבִיב וַתֵּשְׁבוּ בֶּֽטַח׃

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 the LORD your God was your king.

וַתִּרְאוּ כִּֽי־נָחָשׁ מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּוֹן בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ לִי לֹא כִּי־מֶלֶךְ יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ וַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃

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

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם אֲשֶׁר שְׁאֶלְתֶּם וְהִנֵּה נָתַן יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיכֶם מֶֽלֶךְ׃

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

אִם־תִּֽירְאוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתוֹ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקוֹלוֹ וְלֹא תַמְרוּ אֶת־פִּי יְהֹוָה וִהְיִתֶם גַּם־אַתֶּם וְגַם־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ עֲלֵיכֶם אַחַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם׃

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

וְאִם־לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה וּמְרִיתֶם אֶת־פִּי יְהֹוָה וְהָיְתָה יַד־יְהֹוָה בָּכֶם וּבַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

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

גַּם־עַתָּה הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה עֹשֶׂה לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

17 Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, 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 the LORD, in asking for a king."

הֲלוֹא קְצִיר־חִטִּים הַיּוֹם אֶקְרָא אֶל־יְהֹוָה וְיִתֵּן קֹלוֹת וּמָטָר וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ כִּֽי־רָעַתְכֶם רַבָּה אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לִשְׁאוֹל לָכֶם מֶֽלֶךְ׃

18 So Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־יְהֹוָה וַיִּתֵּן יְהֹוָה קֹלֹת וּמָטָר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיִּירָא כׇל־הָעָם מְאֹד אֶת־יְהֹוָה וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵֽל׃

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

וַיֹּאמְרוּ כׇל־הָעָם אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל הִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד־עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶל־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְאַל־נָמוּת כִּֽי־יָסַפְנוּ עַל־כׇּל־חַטֹּאתֵינוּ רָעָה לִשְׁאֹל לָנוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃

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

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־הָעָם אַל־תִּירָאוּ אַתֶּם עֲשִׂיתֶם אֵת כׇּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת אַךְ אַל־תָּסוּרוּ מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֶת־יְהֹוָה בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶֽם׃

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

וְלֹא תָּסוּרוּ כִּי ׀ אַחֲרֵי הַתֹּהוּ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יוֹעִילוּ וְלֹא יַצִּילוּ כִּי־תֹהוּ הֵֽמָּה׃

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

כִּי לֹֽא־יִטֹּשׁ יְהֹוָה אֶת־עַמּוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל כִּי הוֹאִיל יְהֹוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶתְכֶם לוֹ לְעָֽם׃

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

גַּם אָנֹכִי חָלִילָה לִּי מֵחֲטֹא לַיהֹוָה מֵחֲדֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם וְהוֹרֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה וְהַיְשָׁרָֽה׃

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

אַךְ ׀ יְראוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶם כִּי רְאוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־הִגְדִּל עִמָּכֶֽם׃

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

וְאִם־הָרֵעַ תָּרֵעוּ גַּם־אַתֶּם גַּֽם־מַלְכְּכֶם תִּסָּפֽוּ׃