1 Samuel 12

1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto 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 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto 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: 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 taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it 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 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught 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 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And 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 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land 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 the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, 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 was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth 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 forgat the LORD their God, and 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.

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 unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

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 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 ye dwelled 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 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD 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 behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, the LORD hath 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 ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the LORD your God, [well]:

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 ye will not hearken unto 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.

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 the LORD will do before your eyes.

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

17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you 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 unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD 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 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto 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 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD 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 and turn ye not aside: for [then should ye go] after vain things which cannot 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 the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you a people unto 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, God forbid 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.

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 the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath 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 ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

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