Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 12
12
1And Shemu’ĕl said to all Yisra’ĕl, “Look, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have set a sovereign over you.
2“And now, look, the sovereign is walking before you. And I am old and grey, and look, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3“Look, here I am. Witness against me before יהוה and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I abused, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? – then I restore it to you.”
4And they said, “You have not oppressed us or abused us, nor have you taken any bribe from anyone’s hand.”
5So he said to them, “יהוה is witness against you, and His anointed is witness today, that you have found naught in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”
6And Shemu’ĕl said to the people, “It is יהוה who appointed Mosheh and Aharon, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Mitsrayim.
7“And now, stand still, so that I judge you before יהוה concerning all the righteous acts of יהוה which He did to you and your fathers:
8“When Ya‛aqoḇ had come to Mitsrayim, and your fathers cried out to יהוה, then יהוה sent Mosheh and Aharon, who brought your fathers out of Mitsrayim and made them dwell in this place.
9“But they forgot יהוה their Elohim, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Ḥatsor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sovereign of Mo’aḇ. And they fought against them.
10“And they cried out to יהוה, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken יהוה and served the Ba‛als and the Ashtaroth. And now, deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we serve You.’
11“And יהוה sent Yerubba‛al, and Beḏan, and Yiphtaḥ, and Shemu’ĕl, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt in safety.
12“And when you saw that Naḥash sovereign of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but let a sovereign reign over us,’ when יהוה your Elohim was your sovereign.
13“And now, here is the sovereign whom you have chosen and whom you have asked. And see, יהוה has set a sovereign over you.
14“If you fear יהוה, and shall serve Him and obey His voice, and not rebel against the command of יהוה, then both you and the sovereign who reigns over you shall follow יהוה your Elohim.
15“But if you do not obey the voice of יהוה, and shall rebel against the mouth of יהוה, then the hand of יהוה shall be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16“And now, stand and see this great matter which יהוה does before your eyes:
17“Is today not the wheat harvest? Let me call to יהוה, so that He sends thunder and rain – know then and see that your evil is great, which you have done in the eyes of יהוה, in asking for yourselves a sovereign.”
18And Shemu’ĕl called to יהוה, and יהוה sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared יהוה and Shemu’ĕl.
19And all the people said to Shemu’ĕl, “Pray for your servants to יהוה your Elohim, that we do not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil of asking for ourselves a sovereign.”
20And Shemu’ĕl said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this evil. Only, do not turn aside from following יהוה. And you shall serve יהוה with all your heart,
21and do not turn aside after worthless matters which do not profit or deliver, for they are worthless.
22“For יהוה would not cast away His people, for His great Name’s sake, seeing it has pleased יהוה to make you His people.
23“Also, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against יהוה in ceasing to pray for you, but I shall teach you the good and straight way.
24“Only fear יהוה, and you shall serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what marvels He has done for you.
25“But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your sovereign are consumed.”
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Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 12: TS2009
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1 Kings 12
12
1And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2And now the king goeth before you. But I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you. Having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day, behold here I am.
3Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man's ox, or ass: If I have wronged any man: If I have oppressed any man: If I have taken a bribe at any man's hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.
4And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man's hand.
5And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you; and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.
6And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord, who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.
7Now therefore stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:
8How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt: and made them dwell in this place.
9And they forgot the Lord their God: and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10But afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth. But now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about: and you dwelt securely.
12But seeing that Naas king of the children of Ammon was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.
13Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.
14If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of the Lord your God.
15But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.
16Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.
17Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.
18And Samuel cried unto the Lord: and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.
19And all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.
20And Samuel said to the people: Fear not. You have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord; but serve the Lord with all your heart.
21And turn not aside after vain things which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.
22And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.
23And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you. And I will teach you the good and right way.
24Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with your whole heart; for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.
25But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.