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 unto all Israel, Lo! I have hearkened unto your voice, in all that ye said to me, —and have set over you a king.

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.

Now, therefore, lo! the king going to and fro before you, But, I, am old and grey-headed, and, my sons, lo! they are with you, —But, I, have gone to and fro before you from my youth until this day.

3 Here I am. Testify against me before YHWH, 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 me! testify against me, before Yahweh, and before his Anointed—Whose, ox, have I taken? or whose, ass, have I taken? or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I crushed? or at whose, hands, have I taken a bribe, to cover up mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it unto 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, Thou hast not oppressed us, neither hast thou crushed us, —neither hast thou taken, at the hand of any man, any thing.

5 He said to them, "YHWH 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 he said unto them—Witness, is Yahweh against you, and, witness, is his Anointed, this day, that ye have not found in my hand, any thing! And they said: Witness!

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

And Samuel said unto the people: Witness, is Yahweh, who wrought with Moses and with Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

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

Now, therefore, take your stand and let me plead with you, before Yahweh, —and tell you all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he wrought with you, and with your fathers:

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

How that, when Jacob had come into Egypt, —and your fathers had made outcry unto Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and he caused them to dwell in this place;

9 "But they forgot YHWH 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, when they forgat Yahweh their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, prince of the host of Jabin, king of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them;

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

But, when they made outcry unto Yahweh and said—We have sinned, in that we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, —now, therefore, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve thee,

11 YHWH 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.

then Yahweh 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.

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 YHWH your God was your king.

But, when ye saw that, Nahash king of the sons of Ammon, came upon you, then said ye unto me, Nay! but, a king, shall reign over us, when, Yahweh your God, was your king!

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

Now, therefore, lo! the king whom ye have chosen, for whom ye have asked, —lo! therefore, Yahweh hath set over you a king.

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

If ye will revere Yahweh, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the bidding of Yahweh, then shall, both ye and your king that reigneth over you, continue to follow after Yahweh your God.

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

But, if ye hearken not unto the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the bidding of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh continue to be against you, and against your fathers.

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

Even now, stand still and see this great thing, —which Yahweh is about to do before your eyes:

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

Is it not wheat harvest, to-day? I will cry unto Yahweh, that he may give forth thunderings and rain, —know ye then and see, that, your wrong, is great which ye have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves, a king.

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

So Samuel cried unto Yahweh, and Yahweh gave forth thunderings and rain, on that day, —and all the people greatly feared Yahweh, and Samuel.

19 All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to YHWH 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 unto Samuel—Pray for thy servants, unto Yahweh thy God, and let it not be that we die, —For we have added, to all our sins, a wrong, in asking for ourselves 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 YHWH, but serve YHWH with all your heart.

Then said Samuel unto the people—Do not fear, ye, have done all this wrong, —nevertheless, do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh, 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 vanities, that can neither profit nor deliver, because, vanities, they are.

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

For Yahweh will not give up his people, because of his great name, for Yahweh was minded to make you his people.

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

As for me also, far be it from me, that I should sin against Yahweh, by ceasing to pray for you, —but I will direct you, in the good and right way.

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

Only, revere Yahweh, and serve him in truth, with all your heart, —for see, what great things he hath done with you.

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

But, if ye, will do wrong, both ye and your king shall be swept away.