1 Samuel 12

1Samuel said to all Israel, "See, I have heeded your voice in everything you said to me, and set a king over you."

2Now, here is the king walking before you; I am old and gray-haired, and here are my sons with you; I have walked before you from my youth to this day.

3Here I am—testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, whom have I defrauded, whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you.

4They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor crushed us, nor taken anything from any man's hand."

5He said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand." They said, "He is witness."

6Samuel said to the people, "Yahweh is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt."

7Now then, take your stand, that I may contend with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous deeds of Yahweh that he performed for you and your fathers.

8When Jacob came to Egypt and your fathers cried to Yahweh, Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9They forgot Yahweh their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of Hazor's army, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of Moab's king, and they fought against them.

10They cried out to Yahweh and said, “We have sinned, for we forsook Yahweh and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.”

11Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and rescued you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived securely.

12When you saw Nahash king of the Ammonites come against you, you said to me, "No, but a king shall reign over us"—when Yahweh your God was your king.

13Now here is the king whom you chose and whom you requested, and see, Yahweh has set a king over you.

14If you revere Yahweh and serve him, obey his voice, and do not rebel against Yahweh's command, then you too, along with the king who rules over you, will follow Yahweh your God.

15But if you do not heed Yahweh's voice and rebel against his command, then Yahweh's hand will be against you and your fathers.

16Even now, stand firm and see this great thing that Yahweh will do before your eyes.

17Isn't today the wheat harvest? I will call to Yahweh, and he will send thunder and rain; know and see that your wrongdoing is great, which you have done in Yahweh's sight by seeking a king for yourselves.

18Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.

19All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for a king for us."

20Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear—you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart."

21Do not turn aside after vain things which cannot avail nor deliver, for they are vain.

22For Yahweh will not abandon his people on account of his great name, because Yahweh has consented to make you a people for himself.

23As for me, far be it from me to sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you, but I will direct you in the good and right way.

24Only fear Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for see what great things he has done for you.

25But if you keep doing evil, both you and your king will be consumed.