1S 12:1And Samuel said to all Israel, I have now listened to your voice according to all that you have said to me, and I have placed a king over you.
1S 12:2And now, here is the king who goes before you. But I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you, and I have gone before you from my youth until this day.
1S 12:3Here 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 in order to blind my eyes with it? Then I will restore it to you.
1S 12:4And they said, You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from anyone’s hand.
1S 12:5And 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. And they said, He is witness.
1S 12:6And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
1S 12:7Now therefore stand here, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which He did to you and to your fathers.
1S 12:8When Jacob went to Egypt, and your fathers cried out to Jehovah, Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron; and they brought your fathers out from Egypt and caused them to dwell in this place.
1S 12:9But they forgot Jehovah their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera, the captain of Hazor’s army, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
1S 12:10Then they cried out to Jehovah and said, We have sinned, for we have forsaken Jehovah and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but deliver us now from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.
1S 12:11And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hand of your enemies all around; and you dwelt securely.
1S 12:12And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No; but a king will reign over us, though Jehovah your God was your King.
1S 12:13Now therefore here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. See then, Jehovah has set a king over you.
1S 12:14If you fear Jehovah and serve Him and listen to His voice and do not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow Jehovah your God, fine.
1S 12:15But if you do not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
1S 12:16Now therefore stand here and see this great thing that Jehovah will do before your eyes.
1S 12:17Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, that He send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness which you have done in the sight of Jehovah by asking for a king for yourselves is great.
1S 12:18And Samuel called to Jehovah, and Jehovah sent thunder and rain on that day. And all the people feared Jehovah and Samuel greatly.
1S 12:19Then all the people said to Samuel, Pray to Jehovah your God for your servants that we would not die, for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king for ourselves.
1S 12:20And Samuel said to the people, Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, yet do not turn away from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.
1S 12:21And do not turn away, for your turning away would be after vain idols, which cannot profit or deliver you, for they are vanity.
1S 12:22For because of His great name Jehovah will not forsake His people, for Jehovah has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.
1S 12:23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I would sin against Jehovah by ceasing to pray for you, but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
1S 12:24Only, fear Jehovah and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you.
1S 12:25But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be consumed.
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