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.

Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you 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.

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. 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."

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 They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you 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 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."

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 Samuel said to the people, "It is YHWH who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out 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 YHWH concerning all the righteous acts of YHWH, 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 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.

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 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.

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 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.'

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 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.

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 "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.

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 see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and look, YHWH 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 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 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 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.

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 YHWH will do before your eyes.

Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh will 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 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 YHWH; and YHWH sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared YHWH 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 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."

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 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.

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 Do not turn aside to go after vain things which can't 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 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 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 YHWH 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 YHWH, 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 you shall still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."

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