1 Samuel 12

1 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.

And Samuel says to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice, to all that you said to me, and I cause a king to reign over you,

2 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.

and now, behold, the king is habitually walking before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, behold, they [are] with you, and I have habitually walked before you from my youth until this day.

3 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.

Behold, here I [am]; testify against me before YHWH, and before His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose donkey have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide my eyes with it? And I restore [it] to you.”

4 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.

And they say, “You have not oppressed us, nor have you crushed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

5 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!

And he says to them, “YHWH [is] a witness against you, and His anointed [is] a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand”; and they say, “A witness.”

6 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.

And Samuel says to the people, “YHWH [is] He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt!

7 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:

And now, station yourselves, and I judge you before YHWH, with all the righteous acts of YHWH, which He did with you, and with your fathers.

8 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;

When Jacob has come to Egypt, and your fathers cry to YHWH, then YHWH sends Moses and Aaron, and they bring out your fathers from Egypt, and cause them to dwell in this place,

9 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;

and they forget their God YHWH, and He sells them into the hand of Sisera, head of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fight against them,

10 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,

and they cry to YHWH, and say, We have sinned, because we have forsaken YHWH, and serve the Ba‘alim, and Ashtaroth, and now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we serve You.

11 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.

And YHWH sends Jerubba‘al, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivers you out of the hand of your surrounding enemies, and you dwell confidently.

12 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!

And you see that Nahash king of the sons of Ammon has come against you, and you say to me, No, but a king reigns over us; and your God YHWH [is] your king!

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

And now, behold the king whom you have chosen—whom you have asked for! And behold, YHWH has placed a king over you.

14 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.

If you fear YHWH, and have served Him, and listened to His voice, then you do not provoke the mouth of YHWH, and you have been—both you and the king who has reigned over you—after your God YHWH.

15 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.

And if you do not listen to the voice of YHWH—then you have provoked the mouth of YHWH, and the hand of YHWH has been against you, and against your fathers.

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

Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing which YHWH is doing before your eyes;

17 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.

is it not wheat-harvest today? I call to YHWH, and He gives voices and rain; and know and see that your evil is great which you have done in the eyes of YHWH, to ask [for] a king for yourselves.”

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

And Samuel calls to YHWH, and YHWH gives voices and rain on that day, and all the people greatly fear YHWH and Samuel;

19 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.

and all the people say to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to your God YHWH, and we do not die, for we have added evil to all our sins to ask [for] a king for ourselves.”

20 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;

And Samuel says to the people, “Do not fear; you have done all this evil; only, do not turn aside from after YHWH—and you have served YHWH with all your heart,

21 and turn not aside after vanities, that can neither profit nor deliver, because, vanities, they are.

and you do not turn aside after the vain things which do not profit nor deliver, for they [are] vain,

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

for YHWH does not leave His people, on account of His great Name; for YHWH has been pleased to make you for a people to Him.

23 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.

I, also, far be it from me to sin against YHWH, by ceasing to pray for you, and I have directed you in the good and upright way;

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

only, fear YHWH, and you have served Him in truth with all your heart, for see that which He has made great with you;

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

and if you really do evil, both you and your king are consumed.”