1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

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.

2 Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day.

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.

3 Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”

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.

4 They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

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.

5 He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He is witness.”

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!

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

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.

7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.

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:

8 “When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

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;

9 But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.

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;

10 They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’

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,

11 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

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.

12 “When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh your God was your king.

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!

13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.

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

14 If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God.

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.

15 But if you will not listen to Yahweh’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then Yahweh’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

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.

16 “Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes.

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

17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in Yahweh’s sight, in asking for a king.”

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.

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

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

19 All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.”

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.

20 Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.

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;

21 Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.

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

22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.

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

23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

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.

24 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.

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

25 But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”

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