1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel then said vnto all Israel, Behold, I haue hearkened vnto your voyce in all that yee sayde vnto mee, and haue appoynted a King ouer you.

And Samuel says to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice, to all that you said to me, and I cause a king to reign over you,

2 Now therefore behold, your King walketh before you, and I am old and graie headed, and beholde, my sonnes are with you: and I haue walked before you from my childehood vnto this day.

and now, behold, the king is habitually walking before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, behold, they [are] with you, and I have habitually walked before you from my youth until this day.

3 Beholde, here I am: beare recorde of me before the Lord and before his Anointed. Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? or whome haue I done wrong to? or whome haue I hurt? or of whose hande haue I receiued any bribe, to blinde mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you?

Behold, here I [am]; testify against me before YHWH, and before His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose donkey have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide my eyes with it? And I restore [it] to you.”

4 Then they sayde, Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hast hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand.

And they say, “You have not oppressed us, nor have you crushed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

5 And he saide vnto them, The Lord is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that yee haue founde nought in mine handes. And they answered, He is witnesse.

And he says to them, “YHWH [is] a witness against you, and His anointed [is] a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand”; and they say, “A witness.”

6 Then Samuel sayde vnto the people, It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

And Samuel says to the people, “YHWH [is] He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt!

7 Nowe therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the righteousnesse of the Lord, which he shewed to you and to your fathers.

And now, station yourselves, and I judge you before YHWH, with all the righteous acts of YHWH, which He did with you, and with your fathers.

8 After that Iaakob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried vnto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

When Jacob has come to Egypt, and your fathers cry to YHWH, then YHWH sends Moses and Aaron, and they bring out your fathers from Egypt, and cause them to dwell in this place,

9 And when they forgate the Lord their God, he solde them into the hand of Sisera captaine of the hoste of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistims, and into the hande of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

and they forget their God YHWH, and He sells them into the hand of Sisera, head of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fight against them,

10 And they cried vnto the Lord, and saide, We haue sinned, because we haue forsaken the Lord, and haue serued Baalim and Ashtaroth. Nowe therefore deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies, and we will serue thee.

and they cry to YHWH, and say, We have sinned, because we have forsaken YHWH, and serve the Ba‘alim, and Ashtaroth, and now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we serve You.

11 Therefore the Lord sent Ierubbaal and Bedan and Iphtaph, and Samuel, and deliuered you out of the handes of your enemies on euery side, and yee dwelled safe.

And YHWH sends Jerubba‘al, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivers you out of the hand of your surrounding enemies, and you dwell confidently.

12 Notwithstanding when you sawe, that Nahash the King of the children of Ammon came against you, ye sayde vnto me, No, but a King shall reigne ouer vs: when yet the Lord your God was your King.

And you see that Nahash king of the sons of Ammon has come against you, and you say to me, No, but a king reigns over us; and your God YHWH [is] your king!

13 Nowe therefore beholde the King whome yee haue chosen, and whome yee haue desired: loe therefore, the Lord hath set a King ouer you.

And now, behold the king whom you have chosen—whom you have asked for! And behold, YHWH has placed a king over you.

14 If ye wil feare the Lord and serue him, and heare his voyce, and not disobey the worde of the Lord, both yee, and the King that reigneth ouer you, shall follow the Lord your God.

If you fear YHWH, and have served Him, and listened to His voice, then you do not provoke the mouth of YHWH, and you have been—both you and the king who has reigned over you—after your God YHWH.

15 But if yee will not obey the voyce of the Lord, but disobey the Lordes mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be vpon you, and on your fathers.

And if you do not listen to the voice of YHWH—then you have provoked the mouth of YHWH, and the hand of YHWH has been against you, and against your fathers.

16 Nowe also stande and see this great thing which the Lord will doe before your eyes.

Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing which YHWH is doing before your eyes;

17 Is it not nowe wheat haruest? I wil call vnto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and raine, that yee may perceiue and see, howe that your wickednesse is great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King.

is it not wheat-harvest today? I call to YHWH, and He gives voices and rain; and know and see that your evil is great which you have done in the eyes of YHWH, to ask [for] a king for yourselves.”

18 Then Samuel called vnto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and raine the same day: and all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly.

And Samuel calls to YHWH, and YHWH gives voices and rain on that day, and all the people greatly fear YHWH and Samuel;

19 And all the people said vnto Samuel, Pray for thy seruaunts vnto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we haue sinned in asking vs a King, beside all our other sinnes.

and all the people say to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to your God YHWH, and we do not die, for we have added evil to all our sins to ask [for] a king for ourselves.”

20 And Samuel said vnto the people, Feare not. (ye haue indeede done all this wickednesse, yet depart not from following the Lord, but serue the Lord with all your heart,

And Samuel says to the people, “Do not fear; you have done all this evil; only, do not turn aside from after YHWH—and you have served YHWH with all your heart,

21 Neither turne yee backe: for that shoulde be after vaine things which cannot profite you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie)

and you do not turn aside after the vain things which do not profit nor deliver, for they [are] vain,

22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Names sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.

for YHWH does not leave His people, on account of His great Name; for YHWH has been pleased to make you for a people to Him.

23 Moreouer God forbid, that I should sinne against the Lord, and cease praying for you, but I will shewe you the good and right way.

I, also, far be it from me to sin against YHWH, by ceasing to pray for you, and I have directed you in the good and upright way;

24 Therefore feare you the Lord, and serue him in the trueth with all your hearts, and consider howe great things he hath done for you.

only, fear YHWH, and you have served Him in truth with all your heart, for see that which He has made great with you;

25 But if ye doe wickedly, ye shall perish, both yee, and your King.

and if you really do evil, both you and your king are consumed.”