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

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.

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. Witness against me before the LORD 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, 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 defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’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, “The LORD 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, 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 the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of 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 therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to 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 had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell 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 the LORD 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 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 to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of 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 The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

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 children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD 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 therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD has set a 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 will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD 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 But if you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

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 “Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD 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 not it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD’s sight, in asking for 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 the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared the LORD 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 All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD 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 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 said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD 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 to go after vain things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are vain.

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 LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD 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 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 instruct you in the good and the right way.

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 the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what 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 keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”

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