1 Samuel 12
1 Then Samuel said to all of Israel: “Behold, I have listened to your voice, according to all that you have said to me, and I have appointed a king over you.
Samuel said to all Israel, "Look, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 And now the king advances before you. But I am old and have gray hair. Moreover, my sons are with you. And so, having conversed before you from my youth, even until this day, behold, I am here.
Now, look, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and look, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3 Speak about me before the Lord, and before his Christ, as to whether I have taken anyone’s ox or donkey, or whether I have falsely accused anyone, or whether I have oppressed anyone, or whether I have accepted a bribe from the hand of anyone, and I will repudiate the same, this day, and I will restore it to you.”
Here I am. Testify against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, or a shoe? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you."
4 And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”
They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man's hand."
5 And he said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and his Christ is a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is the witness.”
He said to them, "Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." They said, "He is witness."
6 And Samuel said to the people: “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who led our fathers away from the land of Egypt.
Samuel said to the people, "It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore, stand, so that I may contend in judgment against you before the Lord, about all the mercies of the Lord, which he has given to you and to your fathers:
Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 How Jacob entered into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the Lord. And the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and he led your fathers away from Egypt, and he transferred them to this place.
"When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
9 But they forgot the Lord their God, and so he delivered them into the hand of Sisera, master 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.
"But they forgot Jehovah 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.
10 But afterward, they cried out to the Lord, and they said: ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and we have served the Baals and Ashtaroth. Now therefore, rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
And they cried to Jehovah, and they said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'
11 And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and he rescued you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived in confidence.
Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Barak, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
12 Then, seeing that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, had arrived against you, you said to me, ‘By no means! Instead, a king shall reign over us,’ even though the Lord your God was reigning over you.
"When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us;' when Jehovah your God was your king.
13 Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.
Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and look, Jehovah has set a king over you.
14 If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord, then both you, and the king who rules over you, will be following the Lord your God.
If you will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Jehovah your God, then he will rescue you.
15 But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but instead you provoke his words, then the hand of the Lord will be over you and over your fathers.
But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you, and against your king to destroy you.
16 Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.
"Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes.
17 Is it not the harvest of the wheat today? I will call upon the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain. And you will know and see that you have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, by petitioning for a king over you.”
Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking for a king."
18 And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.
So Samuel called to Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.
19 And all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly. And all the people said to Samuel: “Pray, on behalf of your servants, to the Lord your God, so that we may not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil, that we would petition for a king.”
All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Jehovah your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king."
20 Then Samuel said to the people: “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil. Yet truly, do not choose to withdraw from the back of the Lord. Instead, serve the Lord with all your heart.
Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.
21 And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.
Do not turn aside to go after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain.
22 And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.
For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you a people to himself.
23 So then, far be it from me, this sin against the Lord, that I would cease to pray for you. And so, I will teach you the good and upright way.
Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 Therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and from your whole heart. For you have seen the great works that he has done among you.
Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
25 But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”
But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."
