1 Samuel 12
12
Samuel’s last speech
1Samuel said to all Israel: “Listen: I have done everything you asked of me and have placed a king over you. 2The king will lead you now. I am old and gray, though my sons are still with you, and I’ve been your leader since I was young until now. 3So I’m here: Tell the truth about me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Have I ever stolen someone’s ox? Have I ever taken someone’s donkey? Have I ever oppressed or mistreated anyone? Have I ever taken bribes from someone and looked the other way about something? Tell me the truth.#12.3 LXX I will make it right.”
4“You haven’t oppressed or mistreated us, and you’ve never taken anything from anyone,” the people answered.
5Samuel replied, “The LORD and his anointed one are witnesses against you today that you haven’t found anything in my possession.”
“Agreed,” they said.
6Then Samuel told the people: “The witness#12.6 LXX; MT lacks witness. is indeed the LORD, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt. 7So now stand here, and I will judge you in the LORD’s presence because of all the LORD’s righteous acts that he has done for you and your ancestors:
8“When Jacob entered Egypt, the Egyptians oppressed them.#12.8 LXX; MT lacks the Egyptians oppressed them. So your ancestors cried out to the LORD. The LORD then sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them here. 9But your ancestors forgot the LORD their God, so he handed them over to Sisera the commander of Hazor’s army, and to the Philistines, and to the Moabite king, all of whom fought against them. 10Then your ancestors cried out to the LORD and said: ‘We have sinned because we have abandoned the LORD and have worshipped the Baals and the Astartes. But now deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will worship you.’ 11So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak,#12.11 LXX, Syr; MT Bedan Jephthah, and Samson,#12.11 Syr (cf Targ), LXXL Samson; MT, LXXAB Samuel and he delivered you from the power of your enemies on every side. And you lived safe and secure. 12But when you saw that Nahash the Ammonite king was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No! There must be a king to rule over us.’ But the LORD your God was already your king!
13“So now, here is the king you chose, the one you asked for. Yes, the LORD has put a king over you! 14If you will fear the LORD, worship him, obey him, and not rebel against the LORD’s command, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God—all will be well. 15But if you don’t obey the LORD and rebel against the LORD’s command, then the LORD’s power will go against you and your king to destroy you.#12.15 LXXL; MT against you and against your ancestors
16“So now take a stand! Look at this awesome thing the LORD is doing. 17Isn’t the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. Then you will know and will see for yourselves what great evil you’ve done in the LORD’s eyes by asking for a king.”
18Samuel called upon the LORD, and God sent thunder and rain on that very day. Then all the people were in awe of the LORD and Samuel.
19All of them said to Samuel, “Please pray for us, your servants, to the LORD your God so we don’t die because we have added to our many sins the evil of asking for a king.”
20But Samuel answered the people, “Don’t be afraid. Yes, you’ve done all this evil; just don’t turn back from following the LORD. Serve the LORD with all your heart. 21Don’t turn aside to follow useless idols that can’t help you or save you. They’re absolutely useless! 22For the sake of his reputation, the LORD won’t abandon his people, because the LORD has decided to make you his very own people. 23But me? I would never sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. I will teach you what is good and right. 24Just fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Look at what great things he has done for you! 25But if you continue to do evil, then both you and your king will be destroyed.”
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1 Samuel 12: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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.