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.
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.
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.”
4 They said, “You
have not defrauded
us, nor oppressed
us, neither have
you taken anything
from anyone’s hand.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.’
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
16 “Now
therefore stand
still and see
this great thing,
which the LORD
will do before
your eyes.
17 Isn’t 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.”
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.
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.”
20 Samuel said
to the people,
“Don’t be afraid.
You have indeed
done all this
evil; yet don’t
turn away
from following the
LORD, but serve
the LORD with
all your heart.
21 Don’t turn
away to go
after vain things
which can’t profit
or deliver, for
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.
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.
24 Only
fear the LORD,
and serve him
in truth with all
your heart; for
consider what
great things he
has done for
you.
25 But if
you keep doing
evil, you will
be consumed, both
you and your
king.”