1 Samuel 12

1 And Samuel said to all Israel, behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you.

And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all things that ye 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 childhood to this day.

And now, behold, the king goes before you; and I am grown old and shall rest; and, behold, my sons [are] among you; and, behold, I have gone about before you from my youth to this day.

3 Behold, 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 from whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind my eyes with it? 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 from any man's hand.

And they said to Samuel, Thou hast not injured us, and thou hast not oppressed us; and thou hast not afflicted us, and thou hast not taken anything from any one's hand.

5 And he said to 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 answered, [He is] witness.

And Samuel said to the people, The Lord [is] witness among you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand: and they said, [He is] witness.

6 And Samuel said to the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers 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 reason with you before the LORD of 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 among you and your fathers.

8 When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers from Egypt, and made them 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 And when they forgot the LORD their God, 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 to the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us from 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 thee.

11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe.

And he sent Jerobaal, and Barac, and Jephthae, and Samuel, and rescued us out of the hand of our enemies round about, and ye dwelt in security.

12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God [was] your king.

And ye saw that Naas king of the children of Ammon came against you, and ye 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 desired! and behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.

And now behold the king whom ye have chosen; and behold, the Lord has set a king over you.

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

If ye should fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not resist the mouth of the Lord, and ye and your king that reigns over you should follow the Lord, [well].

15 But if ye will not obey 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 ye should not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and ye 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 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 to-day? I will call to the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive 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 to-day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; and know ye and see, that your wickedness [is] great which ye have wrought before the Lord, having asked for yourselves a king.

18 So Samuel called to 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 to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added to all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.

And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy 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 to the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

And Samuel said to the people, Fear not: ye 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 [would 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 his people.

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, Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you 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 shew 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 ye see what great things he has wrought with you.

25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye will be consumed, both ye and your king.

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