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.

Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set a king 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.

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 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.

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 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.

They said, “You have not cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from any man's hand.”

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!

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 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.

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, 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:

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 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 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 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;

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 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,

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 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.

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 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!

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

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 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 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 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.

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

Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh will do 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 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 cried unto Yahweh, and Yahweh gave forth thunderings and rain, on that day, —and all the people greatly feared Yahweh, 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 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.

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 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;

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

Do not turn away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.

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

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 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.

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, revere Yahweh, and serve him in truth, with all your heart, —for see, what great things he hath done with 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 ye, will do wrong, both ye and your king shall be swept away.

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