1Sam 12
1
And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that
you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2
And now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold,
my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3
Here I am: witness against me before YHWH, and before his anointed: whose ox have
I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed?
or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore
it you.
4
And 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, YHWH 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.
6
And Samuel said to the people, It is YHWH that 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 YHWH concerning all the
righteous acts of YHWH, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8
When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to YHWH, then YHWH sent Moses
and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in
this place.
9
But they forgot YHWH their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain
of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the
king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10
And they cried to YHWH, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken YHWH, and
have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our
enemies, and we will serve you.
11
And YHWH sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out
of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.
12
And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you
said to me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when YHWH your God was your king.
13
Now therefore behold the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and,
behold, YHWH has set a king over you.
14
If you will fear YHWH, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not rebel against
the commandment of YHWH, and both you and also the king that reigns over you be followers
of YHWH your God, [well]:
15
but if you will not hearken to the voice of YHWH, but rebel against the commandment
of YHWH, then will the hand of YHWH be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16
Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which YHWH will do before your
eyes.
17
Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call to YHWH, 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 YHWH, in asking you a king.
18
So Samuel called to YHWH; and YHWH sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people
greatly feared YHWH and Samuel.
19
And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to YHWH your God, that we
die not; for we have added to all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.
20
And Samuel said to the people, Fear not; you have indeed done all this evil; yet turn
not aside from following YHWH, but serve YHWH with all your heart:
21
and turn you not aside; for [then would you go] after vain things which cannot profit
nor deliver, for they are vain.
22
For YHWH will not forsake his people for his great name`s sake, because it has pleased
YHWH to make you a people to himself.
23
Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against YHWH in ceasing to
pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24
Only fear YHWH, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great
things he has done for you.
25
But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.