1 Samuel 12

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

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and I have set a king over you.

2 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.

And now, behold, the king is walking before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and my sons, behold, they are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth even until this day.

3 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.”

Behold, here am I; testify against me in the presence of the Lord, and in the presence of his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received any ransom so that I withdrew my eyes from him? and I will restore it you.

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

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou oppressed us, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least.

5 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.”

And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found in my hand the least: and they answered, He is witness.

6 Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.

And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord who did [wonders through] Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 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.

And now stand up, that I may hold judgment with you before the Lord concerning all the benefits of the Lord, which he hath done to you and to your fathers.

8 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.

When Jacob was come into Egypt, then did your fathers cry unto the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and caused them to dwell in this place.

9 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.

And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sissera, the chief of the host of Chazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they made war against them.

10 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.'

And they cried [then] unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth; and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11 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.

And the Lord sent Yerubba'al, and Bedan, and Yiphthach, and Samuel, and he delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, so that ye dwelt safely.

12 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.

But when ye saw that Nachash the king of the children of 'Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God is your king.

13 Now here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as king over you.

And now here is the king whom ye have chosen, whom ye have asked for! and, behold, the Lord hath set over you a king.

14 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.

If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and will not rebel against the will of the Lord: then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God.

15 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.

But if ye will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and rebel against the will of the Lord: then will the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh will do before your eyes.

And now stand up and see this great thing, which the Lord is about doing before your eyes.

17 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.”

Is there not wheat-harvest today? I will call unto the Lord, and he will send thunders and rain; and ye will [thus] perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done, in the eyes of the Lord, to ask for yourselves a king.

18 So Samuel called to Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.

And Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunders and rain on that day: and all the people feared greatly the Lord and Samuel.

19 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.”

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray in behalf of thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we may not die; for we have added unto all our sins yet this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.

20 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.

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, and serve ye the Lord with all your heart;

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

And turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; because they are vain.

22 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.

For the Lord will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you a people unto himself.

23 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.

Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray in behalf of you; but I will teach you the good and the right way:

24 Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the great things he has done for you.

Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things he hath done with you.

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

But if ye will in any wise do wickedly, both ye yourselves as also your king shall perish.