1
And Samuel[H8050]said[H559] unto all Israel[H3478], Behold, I have hearkened[H8085] unto your voice[H6963] in all that ye said[H559] unto me, and have made[H4427] a king[H4428] over you.
2
And now, behold, the king[H4428]walketh[H1980]before[H6440] you: and I am old[H2204] and grayheaded[H7867]; and, behold, my sons[H1121] are with you: and I have walked[H1980]before[H6440] you from my childhood[H5271] unto this day[H3117].
3
Behold, here I am: witness[H6030] against me before the LORD[H3068], and before his anointed[H4899]: whose ox[H7794] have I taken?[H3947] or whose ass[H2543] have I taken?[H3947] or whom have I defrauded?[H6231] whom have I oppressed?[H7533] or of whose hand[H3027] have I received any bribe[H3724] to blind[H5956] mine eyes[H5869] therewith? and I will restore[H7725] it you.
4
And they said[H559], Thou hast not defrauded[H6231] us, nor oppressed[H7533] us, neither hast thou taken[H3947]ought[H3972] of any man's hand[H3027].
5
And he said[H559] unto them, The LORD[H3068] is witness[H5707] against you, and his anointed[H4899] is witness[H5707] this day[H3117], that ye have not found[H4672]ought[H3972] in my hand[H3027]. And they answered[H559], He is witness[H5707].
6
And Samuel[H8050]said[H559] unto the people[H5971], It is the LORD[H3068] that advanced[H6213]Moses[H4872] and Aaron[H175], and that brought[H5927] your fathers[H1]up[H5927] out of the land[H776] of Egypt[H4714].
7
Now therefore stand still[H3320], that I may reason[H8199] with you before[H6440] the LORD[H3068] of all the righteous acts[H6666] of the LORD[H3068], which he did[H6213] to you and to your fathers[H1].
8
When Jacob[H3290] was come[H935] into Egypt[H4714], and your fathers[H1]cried[H2199] unto the LORD[H3068], then the LORD[H3068]sent[H7971]Moses[H4872] and Aaron[H175], which brought forth[H3318] your fathers[H1] out of Egypt[H4714], and made them dwell[H3427] in this place[H4725].
9
And when they forgat[H7911] the LORD[H3068] their God[H430], he sold[H4376] them into the hand[H3027] of Sisera[H5516], captain[H8269] of the host[H6635] of Hazor[H2674], and into the hand[H3027] of the Philistines[H6430], and into the hand[H3027] of the king[H4428] of Moab[H4124], and they fought[H3898] against them.
10
And they cried[H2199] unto the LORD[H3068], and said[H559], We have sinned[H2398], because we have forsaken[H5800] the LORD[H3068], and have served[H5647]Baalim[H1168] and Ashtaroth[H6252]: but now deliver[H5337] us out of the hand[H3027] of our enemies[H341], and we will serve[H5647] thee.
11
And the LORD[H3068]sent[H7971]Jerubbaal[H3378], and Bedan[H917], and Jephthah[H3316], and Samuel[H8050], and delivered[H5337] you out of the hand[H3027] of your enemies[H341] on every side[H5439], and ye dwelled[H3427]safe[H983].
12
And when ye saw[H7200] that Nahash[H5176] the king[H4428] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]came[H935] against you, ye said[H559] unto me, Nay; but a king[H4428] shall reign[H4427] over us: when the LORD[H3068] your God[H430] was your king[H4428].
13
Now therefore behold the king[H4428] whom ye have chosen[H977], and whom ye have desired[H7592]! and, behold, the LORD[H3068] hath set[H5414] a king[H4428] over you.
14
If ye will fear[H3372] the LORD[H3068], and serve[H5647] him, and obey[H8085] his voice[H6963], and not rebel[H4784] against the commandment[H6310] of the LORD[H3068], then shall both ye and also the king[H4428] that reigneth[H4427] over you continue following[H310] the LORD[H3068] your God[H430]:
15
But if ye will not obey[H8085] the voice[H6963] of the LORD[H3068], but rebel[H4784] against the commandment[H6310] of the LORD[H3068], then shall the hand[H3027] of the LORD[H3068] be against you, as it was against your fathers[H1].
16
Now therefore[H1571]stand[H3320] and see[H7200] this great[H1419]thing[H1697], which the LORD[H3068] will do[H6213] before your eyes[H5869].
17
Is it not wheat[H2406]harvest[H7105] to day?[H3117] I will call[H7121] unto the LORD[H3068], and he shall send[H5414]thunder[H6963] and rain[H4306]; that ye may perceive[H3045] and see[H7200] that your wickedness[H7451] is great[H7227], which ye have done[H6213] in the sight[H5869] of the LORD[H3068], in asking[H7592] you a king[H4428].
18
So Samuel[H8050]called[H7121] unto the LORD[H3068]; and the LORD[H3068]sent[H5414]thunder[H6963] and rain[H4306] that day[H3117]: and all the people[H5971]greatly[H3966]feared[H3372] the LORD[H3068] and Samuel[H8050].
19
And all the people[H5971]said[H559] unto Samuel[H8050], Pray[H6419] for thy servants[H5650] unto the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430], that we die[H4191] not: for we have added[H3254] unto all our sins[H2403] this evil[H7451], to ask[H7592] us a king[H4428].
20
And Samuel[H8050]said[H559] unto the people[H5971], Fear[H3372] not: ye have done[H6213] all this wickedness[H7451]: yet turn not aside[H5493] from following[H310] the LORD[H3068], but serve[H5647] the LORD[H3068] with all your heart[H3824];
21
And turn ye not aside[H5493]: for then should ye go after[H310]vain[H8414] things, which cannot profit[H3276] nor deliver[H5337]; for they are vain[H8414].
22
For the LORD[H3068] will not forsake[H5203] his people[H5971] for his great[H1419] name's sake: because it hath pleased[H2974] the LORD[H3068] to make[H6213] you his people[H5971].
23
Moreover as for me[H595], God forbid[H2486] that I should sin[H2398] against the LORD[H3068] in ceasing[H2308] to pray[H6419] for you: but I will teach[H3384] you the good[H2896] and the right[H3477]way[H1870]:
24
Only fear[H3372] the LORD[H3068], and serve[H5647] him in truth[H571] with all your heart[H3824]: for consider[H7200] how great things he hath done[H1431] for you.
25
But if ye shall still[H7489] do wickedly[H7489], ye shall be consumed[H5595], both ye and your king[H4428].