1 Samuel 12

1Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 toH413 allH3605 IsraelH3478H2009, “I have listenedH8085 to your voiceH6963 in allH3605 that you have saidH559 to me, and I have setH4427 over youH5921 a kingH4428. 2NowH6258 here isH2009 the kingH4428 walkingH1980 before youH6440, and IH589 am oldH2204 and grayH7867, and my sonsH1121 are hereH2009 with youH854. IH589 have walkedH1980 before youH6440 from my youthH5271 untilH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.

3Here I amH2005. Bear witnessH6030 against me beforeH5048 the LORDH3068 and beforeH5048 His anointedH4899: WhoseH4310 oxH7794 or donkeyH2543 have I takenH3947? WhomH4310 have I cheatedH3947H853H6231 or oppressedH7533? From whoseH4310 handH3027H4310 have I acceptedH3947 a bribeH3724 and closedH5956 my eyesH5869? Tell me, and I will restoreH7725 it1 to you.”

4“You have notH3808 cheated usH6231 orH3808 oppressed usH7533,” they repliedH559, “norH3808 have you takenH3947 anythingH3972 from the handH3027 of manH376.”

5Samuel saidH559 to themH413, “The LORDH3068 is a witnessH5707 against you, and His anointedH4899 is a witnessH5707 todayH3117H2088, thatH3588 you have notH3808 foundH4672 anythingH3972 in my handH3027.”

“He is a witnessH5707,” they repliedH559.

6Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 toH413 the peopleH5971, “The LORDH3068 is the One whoH8342 appointedH6213 MosesH4872 and AaronH175, and whoH834 broughtH5927 your fathers upH1 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714. 7NowH6258 present yourselvesH3320, so that I may confrontH8199 youH854 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 with allH3605 the righteous actsH6666 HeH3068 has doneH6213 for youH854 andH854 your fathersH1.

8WhenH834 JacobH3290 wentH935 to EgyptH4714,3 your fathersH1 cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068, and HeH3068 sent themH7971 MosesH4872 and AaronH175, who broughtH3318 your fathersH1 out of EgyptH4714 and settled themH3427 in thisH2088 placeH4725. 9But they forgotH7911 the LORDH3068 their GodH430, and He soldH4376 themH853 into the handH3027 of SiseraH5516 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 of HazorH2674,4 and into the handsH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430H3027 and the kingH4428 of MoabH4124, who foughtH3898 against them.

10Then they cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068 and saidH559, ‘We have sinnedH2398, forH3588 we have forsakenH5800 the LORDH3068 and servedH5647 the BaalsH1168 andH853 AshtorethsH6252. NowH6258 deliver usH5337 from the handsH3027 of our enemiesH341, that we may serve YouH5647.’

11So the LORDH3068 sentH7971 JerubbaalH3378,5 BarakH917,6 JephthahH3316, and SamuelH8050,7 and He deliveredH5337 youH853 from the handsH3027 of your enemiesH341 on every sideH5439, and you dweltH3427 securelyH983. 12But when you sawH7200 thatH3588 NahashH5176 kingH4428 of the AmmonitesH1121H5983 was movingH935 against youH5921, you saidH559 to me, ‘NoH3808H3588, we must have a kingH4428 to ruleH4427 over usH5921’—even though the LORDH3068 your GodH430 was your kingH4428.

13NowH6258 here isH2009 the kingH4428 you have chosenH977, the oneH834 you requestedH7592. BeholdH2009, the LORDH3068 has placedH5414 a kingH4428 over youH5921.

14IfH518 you fearH3372 the LORDH3068 and serveH5647 HimH853 and obeyH8085 His voiceH6963, and if you do notH3808 rebelH4784 againstH853 the commandH6310 of the LORDH3068, and ifH1961 bothH1571 youH859 andH1571 the kingH4428 whoH834 rulesH4427 over youH5921 followH310 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, then all will be well.8 15But ifH518 you disobeyH3808H8085H6963 the LORDH3068 and rebelH4784 against HisH3068 commandH6310, then the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 will beH1961 against you as it was against your fathersH1.9

16NowH6258, thereforeH1571, present yourselvesH3320 and seeH7200 thisH2088 greatH1419 thingH1697 thatH834 the LORDH3068 will doH6213 before your eyesH5869. 17Is it notH3808 the wheatH2406 harvestH7105 todayH3117? I will callH7121 onH413 the LORDH3068 to sendH5414 thunderH6963 and rainH4306, so that you will knowH3045 and seeH7200H3588 what a greatH7227 evilH7451 you have committedH6213 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068 by askingH7592 for a kingH4428.”

18So SamuelH8050 calledH7121 toH413 the LORDH3068, and on thatH1931 dayH3117 the LORDH3068 sentH5414 thunderH6963 and rainH4306.

As a result, allH3605 the peopleH5971 greatlyH3966 fearedH3372 the LORDH3068 andH853 SamuelH8050. 19TheyH3605H5971 pleadedH559 withH413 SamuelH8050, “PrayH6419 toH413 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 forH1157 your servantsH5650 so that we will notH408 dieH4191! ForH3588 we have addedH3254 toH5921 allH3605 our sinsH2403 the evilH7451 of askingH7592 for a kingH4428.”

20“Do notH408 be afraidH3372,” SamuelH8050H413H5971 repliedH559. “Even though youH859 have committedH6213 allH3605 thisH2063H389 evilH7451, do notH408 turn asideH5493 from followingH310 the LORDH3068, but serveH5647 the LORDH3068 with allH3605 your heartH3824. 21Do notH3808 turn asideH5493H3588 afterH310 worthlessH8414 things thatH834 cannotH3808 profitH3276H3808 you or deliverH5337 you, forH3588 theyH1992 are emptyH8414. 22IndeedH3588, for the sakeH5668 of His greatH1419 nameH8034, the LORDH3068 will notH3808 abandonH5203 His peopleH5971, becauseH3588 He was pleasedH2974 to makeH6213 youH853 His own.

23As forH1571 meH595, far be it from meH2486 that I should sinH2398 against the LORDH3068 by ceasingH2308 to prayH6419 for youH1157. And I will continue to teachH3384 youH853 the goodH2896 and rightH3477 wayH1870.

24Above allH389, fearH3372 the LORDH3068 and serveH5647 HimH853 faithfullyH571 with allH3605 your heartH3824H3588; considerH7200 whatH834 great things He has doneH1431 for youH5973. 25But ifH518 you persist in doing evilH7489, bothH1571 youH859 andH1571 your kingH4428 will be swept awayH5595.”