1 שְׁמוּאֵל 12
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנֵּה֙ שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי בְקֹֽלְכֶ֔ם לְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם לִ֑י וָאַמְלִ֥יךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃ | 1 |
Then Samuel said to all of Israel, “I have paid attention to everything you asked from me, and I have given you a king to rule over you.
| וְעַתָּ֞ה הִנֵּ֥ה הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ׀ מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֗ם וַאֲנִי֙ זָקַ֣נְתִּי וָשַׂ֔בְתִּי וּבָנַ֖י הִנָּ֣ם אִתְּכֶ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם מִנְּעֻרַ֖י עַד־הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ | 2 |
Now your king is your leader. I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from the time I was a boy up to today.
| הִנְנִ֣י עֲנ֣וּ בִי֩ נֶ֨גֶד יְהוָ֜ה וְנֶ֣גֶד מְשִׁיחֹ֗ו אֶת־שֹׁור֩ ׀ מִ֨י לָקַ֜חְתִּי וַחֲמֹ֧ור מִ֣י לָקַ֗חְתִּי וְאֶת־מִ֤י עָשַׁ֙קְתִּי֙ אֶת־מִ֣י רַצֹּ֔ותִי וּמִיַּד־מִי֙ לָקַ֣חְתִּי כֹ֔פֶר וְאַעְלִ֥ים עֵינַ֖י בֹּ֑ו וְאָשִׁ֖יב לָכֶֽם׃ | 3 |
I stand here before you. Bring any charges you have against me in the presence of the Lord and of his anointed one. Have I taken anyone's ox or donkey? Have I wronged anyone? Have I oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone to turn a blind eye? Tell me, and I will repay you.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א רַצֹּותָ֑נוּ וְלֹֽא־לָקַ֥חְתָּ מִיַּד־אִ֖ישׁ מְאֽוּמָה׃ | 4 |
“No, you have never cheated or oppressed us,” they replied, “and you have never taken anything from anyone.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם עֵ֧ד יְהוָ֣ה בָּכֶ֗ם וְעֵ֤ד מְשִׁיחֹו֙ הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א מְצָאתֶ֛ם בְּיָדִ֖י מְא֑וּמָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר עֵֽד׃ פ | 5 |
Samuel told them, “The Lord is a witness, and his anointed is a witness today, in this case involving you, that you have not found me guilty of anything.” “He is a witness,” they replied.
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־הָעָ֑ם יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וַאֲשֶׁ֧ר הֶעֱלָ֛ה אֶת־אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | 6 |
“The Lord is a witness, he who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel went on. “He led your forefathers out of the land of Egypt.
| וְעַתָּ֗ה הִֽתְיַצְּב֛וּ וְאִשָּׁפְטָ֥ה אִתְּכֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־צִדְקֹ֣ות יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה אִתְּכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲבֹותֵיכֶֽם׃ | 7 |
So stand here as I present to you in the presence of the Lord the evidence of all the good things the Lord has done for you and your forefathers.
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּזְעֲק֤וּ אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּוצִ֤יאוּ אֶת־אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וַיֹּשִׁב֖וּם בַּמָּקֹ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ | 8 |
After Jacob had gone to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron to lead your forefathers out of Egypt and settle them here.
| וַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּמְכֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֡ם בְּיַ֣ד סִֽיסְרָא֩ שַׂר־צְבָ֨א חָצֹ֜ור וּבְיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וּבְיַד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֹואָ֔ב וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ בָּֽם׃ | 9 |
But they forgot about the Lord their God, so he abandoned them to Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab, who attacked them.
| וַיִּזְעֲק֤וּ אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמֶר (וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ) חָטָ֔אנוּ כִּ֤י עָזַ֙בְנוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וַנַּעֲבֹ֥ד אֶת־הַבְּעָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעַשְׁתָּרֹ֑ות וְעַתָּ֗ה הַצִּילֵ֛נוּ מִיַּ֥ד אֹיְבֵ֖ינוּ וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃ | 10 |
They cried out to the Lord for help and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have rejected the Lord and worshiped the Baals and Ashtoreths. Please save us from the hands of our enemies, and we will worship you.’
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־יְרֻבַּ֣עַל וְאֶת־בְּדָ֔ן וְאֶת־יִפְתָּ֖ח וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיַּצֵּ֨ל אֶתְכֶ֜ם מִיַּ֤ד אֹֽיְבֵיכֶם֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וַתֵּשְׁב֖וּ בֶּֽטַח׃ | 11 |
Then the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he saved you from your enemies who surrounded you so you could live in safety.
| וַתִּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־נָחָ֞שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמֹּון֮ בָּ֣א עֲלֵיכֶם֒ וַתֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י לֹ֕א כִּי־מֶ֖לֶךְ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃ | 12 |
But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, we want our own king,’ even though the Lord your God was your king.
| וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֥ה הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁאֶלְתֶּ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃ | 13 |
So here's the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. Look—the Lord now gives him to you as your king!
| אִם־תִּֽירְא֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם אֹתֹו֙ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם בְּקֹלֹ֔ו וְלֹ֥א תַמְר֖וּ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וִהְיִתֶ֣ם גַּם־אַתֶּ֗ם וְגַם־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אַחַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ | 14 |
If you honor the Lord, worship him, do what he tells you, and don't rebel against the Lord's instructions, and if both you and your king follow the Lord your God, then good!
| וְאִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹ֣ול יְהוָ֔ה וּמְרִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְהָיְתָ֧ה יַד־יְהוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וּבַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ | 15 |
However, if you refuse to do what he tells you, and rebel against the Lord's instructions, then the Lord will be against you as he was against your forefathers.
| גַּם־עַתָּה֙ הִתְיַצְּב֣וּ וּרְא֔וּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ול הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עֹשֶׂ֖ה לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ | 16 |
Now stand still and watch what the Lord is going to do, right before your very eyes.
| הֲלֹ֤וא קְצִיר־חִטִּים֙ הַיֹּ֔ום אֶקְרָא֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וְיִתֵּ֥ן קֹלֹ֖ות וּמָטָ֑ר וּדְע֣וּ וּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־רָעַתְכֶ֤ם רַבָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֲשִׂיתֶם֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לִשְׁאֹ֥ול לָכֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃ ס | 17 |
Isn't it the time of wheat harvest? Well, I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain. Then you will realize how very evil you were in the Lord's sight when you demanded your own king.”
| וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה קֹלֹ֥ת וּמָטָ֖ר בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֑וּא וַיִּירָ֨א כָל־הָעָ֥ם מְאֹ֛ד אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְאֶת־שְׁמוּאֵֽל׃ | 18 |
Then Samuel prayed to the Lord, and that very day the Lord sent thunder and rain. Everyone was in absolute awe of the Lord and of Samuel.
| וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל בְּעַד־עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וְאַל־נָמ֑וּת כִּֽי־יָסַ֤פְנוּ עַל־כָּל־חַטֹּאתֵ֙ינוּ֙ רָעָ֔ה לִשְׁאֹ֥ל לָ֖נוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃ ס | 19 |
“Please pray to the Lord your God for us your servants, so we will not die!” they begged Samuel. “For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for our own king.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל־הָעָם֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אוּ אַתֶּ֣ם עֲשִׂיתֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את אַ֗ךְ אַל־תָּס֙וּרוּ֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶֽם׃ | 20 |
“Don't be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have indeed done all these evil things, don't give up following the Lord, but dedicate yourselves completely to worshiping him.
| וְלֹ֖א תָּס֑וּרוּ כִּ֣י ׀ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַתֹּ֗הוּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יֹועִ֛ילוּ וְלֹ֥א יַצִּ֖ילוּ כִּי־תֹ֥הוּ הֵֽמָּה׃ | 21 |
Don't worship worthless idols that can't help you or save you, for they are nothing.
| כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִטֹּ֤שׁ יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עַמֹּ֔ו בַּעֲב֖וּר שְׁמֹ֣ו הַגָּדֹ֑ול כִּ֚י הֹואִ֣יל יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות אֶתְכֶ֛ם לֹ֖ו לְעָֽם׃ | 22 |
The fact is because of the kind of person the Lord is, he won't give up on his people, because he was happy to claim you as his own.
| גַּ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י חָלִ֤ילָה לִּי֙ מֵחֲטֹ֣א לַֽיהוָ֔ה מֵחֲדֹ֖ל לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעַדְכֶ֑ם וְהֹורֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ הַטֹּובָ֖ה וְהַיְשָׁרָֽה׃ | 23 |
As for me, how could I sin against the Lord by no longer praying for you. I will also continue to teach you the way of goodness and right.
| אַ֣ךְ ׀ יְר֣אוּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֥ם אֹתֹ֛ו בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י רְא֔וּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִגְדִּ֖ל עִמָּכֶֽם׃ | 24 |
Make sure you honor God and worship him faithfully, with complete dedication. Think of all the tremendous things he has done for you.
| וְאִם־הָרֵ֖עַ תָּרֵ֑עוּ גַּם־אַתֶּ֥ם גַּֽם־מַלְכְּכֶ֖ם תִּסָּפֽוּ׃ פ | 25 |
But if you continue to do what is evil, you and your king will be wiped out.”
