1 Samuel 12

Samuel Addresses Israel

1Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 to allH3605 IsraelH3478, “BeholdH2009, 1I have listenedH8085 to your voiceH6963 for allH3605 that you saidH559 to me, and I 2have appointedH4427 a kingH4428 overH5921 you. 2NowH6258, 3hereH2009 is the kingH4428 walkingH1980 beforeH6440 you, but as for me, 4I amH2204 oldH2204 and grayH7867, and 5my sonsH1121 are hereH2009 with you. And 6I have walkedH1980 beforeH6440 you sinceH4480 my youthH5271 to thisH2088 dayH3117. 3HereH2009 I am; testifyH6030 against me beforeH5048 the LordH3068 and 7His anointedH4899. 8WhoseH4310 oxH7794 have I takenH3947, or whoseH4310 donkeyH2543 have I takenH3947, or whomH4310 have I exploitedH6231? WhomH4310 have I oppressedH7533, or 9from whoseH4310 handH3027 have I takenH3947 a bribeH3724 to closeH5956 my eyesH5869 with it? I will returnH7725 it to you.” 4And they saidH559, “You have not exploitedH6231 us or oppressedH7533 us, or takenH3947 anythingH3972 from anyone’sH376 handH3027.” 5So he saidH559 to them, “The LordH3068 is witnessH5707 against you, and His anointedH4899 is witnessH5707 thisH2088 dayH3117 that 10you have foundH4672 nothingH3808H3972 11in my handH3027.” And they saidH559, “He is witnessH5707.”

6Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, “It is the LordH3068 whoH834 1213appointedH6213 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 and whoH834 broughtH5927 your fathersH1 upH5927 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714. 7NowH6258 then, takeH3320 your standH3320, 14so that I may enterH8199 intoH8199 judgmentH8199 with you beforeH6440 the LordH3068 concerningH854 allH3605 the righteousH6666 actsH6666 of the LordH3068 that He didH6213 for you and your fathersH1. 815WhenH3512 JacobH3290 wentH935 into EgyptH4714 and 16your fathersH1 criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068, then 17the LordH3068 sentH7971 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 1819who broughtH3318 your fathersH1 outH3318 of EgyptH4714 and settledH3427 them in thisH2088 placeH4725. 9But 20they forgotH7911 the LordH3068 their GodH430, so 21He soldH4376 them into the handH3027 of SiseraH5516, commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 of HazorH2674, and 22into the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430, and 23into the handH3027 of the kingH4428 of MoabH4124, and they foughtH3898 against them. 1024They criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068 and saidH559, ‘We have sinnedH2398, becauseH3588 we have abandonedH5800 the LordH3068 and have servedH5647 25the BaalsH1168 and the AshtarothH6252; but 26nowH6258 saveH5337 us from the handsH3027 of our enemiesH340, and we will serveH5647 You.’ 11Then the LordH3068 sentH7971 27JerubbaalH3378, 2829BedanH917, 30JephthahH3316, and 31SamuelH8050, and savedH5337 you from the handsH3027 of your enemiesH340 allH4480H5439 aroundH5439, so that you livedH3427 in securityH983.

The King Confirmed

12But when you sawH7200 32that NahashH5176 the kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 was comingH935 againstH5921 you, you saidH559 to me, ‘33NoH3808, but a kingH4428 shall reignH4427 overH5921 us!’ 34Yet the LordH3068 your GodH430 was your kingH4428. 13And nowH6258, 35beholdH2009, the kingH4428 whomH4310 you have chosenH977, 36whomH4310 you have askedH7592 for, and beholdH2009, the LordH3068 has 37putH5414 a kingH4428 overH5921 you. 1438IfH518 you will fearH3372 the LordH3068 and serveH5647 Him, and listenH8085 to His voiceH6963 and not rebelH4784 againstH854 the 39commandH6310 of the LordH3068, then bothH1571 you and the kingH4428 whoH834 reignsH4427 overH5921 you will followH1961H310 the LordH3068 your GodH430. 15But 40ifH518 you do not listenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068, but rebelH4784 againstH854 the 41commandH6310 of the LordH3068, then 42the handH3027 of the LordH3068 will be against you, 43even as it was against your fathersH1. 16EvenH1571 nowH6258, 44takeH3320 your standH3320 and seeH7200 thisH2088 greatH1419 thingH1697 whichH834 the LordH3068 is going to doH6213 before your eyesH5869. 1745Is it not the wheatH2406 harvestH7105 todayH3117? 46I will callH7121 to the LordH3068, that He will sendH5414 47thunderH6963 and rainH4306. Then you will knowH3045 and seeH7200 that 48your wickednessH7463 is greatH7227 whichH834 you have doneH6213 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, by askingH7592 for yourselves a kingH4428.” 18So SamuelH8050 calledH7121 to the LordH3068, and the LordH3068 sentH5414 49thunderH6963 and rainH4306 that dayH3117; and 50allH3605 the peopleH5971 greatlyH3966 fearedH3372 the LordH3068 and SamuelH8050.

19Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “51PrayH6419 to the LordH3068 your GodH430 for your servantsH5650, so that we do not dieH4191; for we have addedH3254 to allH3605 our sinsH2403 52this evilH7463, by askingH7592 for ourselves a kingH4428.” 20SamuelH8050 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, “Do not fearH3372. You have committedH6213 allH3605 thisH2088 evilH7463, yetH389 53do not turnH5493 asideH5493 from followingH310 the LordH3068, but serveH5647 the LordH3068 with allH3605 your heartH3824. 21Indeed, you must not turnH5493 asideH5493, for then you would go afterH310 54uselessH8414 thingsH8414 whichH834 cannot benefitH3276 or saveH5337, becauseH3588 they are uselessH8414. 22For 55the LordH3068 will not abandonH5203 His peopleH5971 56on accountH5668 of His greatH1419 nameH8034, becauseH3588 the LordH3068 57has been pleasedH2974 to makeH6213 you a peopleH5971 for Himself. 23FurthermoreH1571, as for me, 58farH2486 be it from me that I would sinH2398 against the LordH3068 by ceasingH2308 to prayH6419 for you; but 59I will instructH3384 you in the goodH2896 and rightH3477 wayH1870. 2460OnlyH389 61fearH3372 the LordH3068 and serveH5647 Him in truthH571 with allH3605 your heartH3824; for considerH7200 62whatH834 greatH1431 thingsH1431 He has doneH1431 for you. 2563But ifH518 you stillH7489 doH7489 evilH7489, 64bothH1571 you and your kingH4428 65will be sweptH5595 awayH5595.”