Chapter 12

And Samuel said⁴ unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened¹ unto your voice in all that ye said¹ unto me, and have made⁵⁵ a king over you.

And now, behold, the king walketh¹⁰² before you: and I am old¹ and grayheaded;¹ and, behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked⁹⁸ before you from my childhood unto this day.

Behold, here I [am]: witness³ against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken?¹ or whose ass have I taken?¹ or whom have I defrauded?¹ whom have I oppressed?¹ or of whose hand have I received¹ [any] bribe to blind⁵⁵ mine eyes therewith? and I will restore⁵⁵ it you.

And they said,⁴ Thou hast not defrauded¹ us, nor oppressed¹ us, neither hast thou taken¹ ought of any man's hand.

And he said⁴ unto them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found¹ ought in my hand. And they answered,⁴ [He is] witness.

And Samuel said⁴ unto the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced¹ Moses and Aaron, and that brought⁵² your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

Now therefore stand still,¹⁰⁰ that I may reason¹¹ with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did¹ to you and to your fathers.

When Jacob was come¹ into Egypt, and your fathers cried⁴ unto the LORD, then the LORD sent⁴ Moses and Aaron, which brought forth⁵⁵ your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell⁵⁵ in this place.

And when they forgat⁴ the LORD their God, he sold⁴ 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 fought¹¹ against them.

And they cried⁴ unto the LORD, and said,⁴ We have sinned,¹ because we have forsaken¹ the LORD, and have served⁴ Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver⁵⁴ us out of the hand of our enemies,⁶ and we will serve⁴ thee.

And the LORD sent⁴ Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered⁵⁵ you out of the hand of your enemies⁶ on every side, and ye dwelled⁴ safe.

And when ye saw⁴ that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came¹ against you, ye said⁴ unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign⁴ over us: when the LORD your God [was] your king.

Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen,¹ [and] whom ye have desired!¹ and, behold, the LORD hath set¹ a king over you.

If ye will fear⁴ the LORD, and serve¹ him, and obey¹ his voice, and not rebel⁵⁵ against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth¹ over you continue following the LORD your God:

But if ye will not obey⁴ the voice of the LORD, but rebel¹ against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as [it was] against your fathers.

Now therefore stand¹⁰⁰ and see³ this great thing, which the LORD will do⁶ before your eyes.

[Is it] not wheat harvest to day? I will call⁴ unto the LORD, and he shall send⁴ thunder and rain; that ye may perceive³ and see³ that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done¹ in the sight of the LORD, in asking² you a king.

So Samuel called⁴ unto the LORD; and the LORD sent⁴ thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared⁴ the LORD and Samuel.

And all the people said⁴ unto Samuel, Pray¹⁰⁰ for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die⁴ not: for we have added¹ unto all our sins [this] evil, to ask² us a king.

And Samuel said⁴ unto the people, Fear⁴ not: ye have done¹ all this wickedness: yet turn not aside⁴ from following the LORD, but serve¹ the LORD with all your heart;

And turn ye not aside:⁴ for [then should ye go] after vain [things], which cannot profit⁵⁵ nor deliver;⁵⁵ for they [are] vain.

For the LORD will not forsake⁴ his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased⁵² the LORD to make² you his people.

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin² against the LORD in ceasing² to pray⁹⁹ for you: but I will teach⁵² you the good and the right way:

Only fear³ the LORD, and serve¹ him in truth with all your heart: for consider³ how great [things] he hath done⁵² for you.

But if ye shall still⁵³ do wickedly,⁵⁵ ye shall be consumed,¹¹ both ye and your king.