1 Samuel 12
12
Samuel’s Charge to Israel
1Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Look, I have listened to your voice regarding all that you have said to me, so I have set a king over you. 2And so then here is the king walking about before you. Now I am old and gray, but my sons (look at them!) are with you; and I have walked about before you from my youth until this day. 3Here I am! Testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one! Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, that I may shut my eyes regarding#Literally “with” him?–then I will restore it to you.” 4Then they said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us, and you have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.” 5So he said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” Then they said, “He is witness.” 6Then Samuel said to the people, “Yahweh is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your ancestors#Or “fathers” up from the land of Egypt. 7So then take your stand, so that I may judge you before Yahweh with regard to all the deeds of justice#Or “righteous deeds” of Yahweh that he performed with both you and your ancestors.#Or “fathers”
8“When Jacob came to Egypt, your ancestors#Or “fathers” cried out to Yahweh, so he sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your ancestors#Or “fathers” out from Egypt and settled them in this place. 9But they forgot Yahweh their God, so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the hosts of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10So they cried out to Yahweh and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals#Hebrew plural “Be’alim” (Ba’al was a major Canaanite deity) and the Ashtoreths.#Hebrew plural “Ashtoroth” (Ashtoreth was the female consort of Ba’al) But now deliver us from the hand of our enemies and we will serve you!’ 11So Yahweh sent Jerub-Baal and Bedan#Many English translations follow the LXX here and read “Barak” and Jephthah and Samuel. Then he delivered you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived in security.
12“And when you saw that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites,#Literally “sons/children of Ammon” was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king shall reign over us,’ although Yahweh your God is your king. 13So then look! Here is the king you have chosen, for whom you have asked! Look, Yahweh has placed a king over you! 14If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not be rebellious against what Yahweh says,#Literally “the mouth of Yahweh” and both you and the king who rules over you will follow after Yahweh your God, all will be well. 15But, if you do not listen to the voice of Yahweh, and you rebel against what Yahweh says,#Literally “the mouth of Yahweh” then the hand of Yahweh will be against you#Here LXX reads “against you and against your king” as it was against your ancestors.#Or “fathers” 16So then take your stand again and see this great thing that Yahweh is going to do before your eyes. 17Is the wheat harvest not today? I will call out to Yahweh so that he still sends thunder and rain, so that you will know and will see that your wickedness is great that you have done in the eyes of Yahweh by asking for a king for yourselves.”
18So Samuel called out to Yahweh, and Yahweh brought thunder and rain that same day, so all the people feared Yahweh and Samuel greatly. 19Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God so that we will not die, because we have added to all our sins by requesting a king for ourselves.” 20And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear! You have done all this evil; only do not turn aside from following#Literally “after” Yahweh. But you must serve Yahweh with all your heart. 21And do not turn aside after the triviality,#That is, the triviality of lifeless idols. The same Hebrew word, tohu, is used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the pre-created state of the earth. which have no value and cannot deliver, for they are triviality. 22For Yahweh will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name, because Yahweh has decided to make you his own people. 23Also, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin#Literally “from sinning” against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the good and righteous way. 24Only fear Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all of your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.#Literally “what he made great with you” 25But if you continue to do wickedness, both you and your king will be swept away.”
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1 Samuel 12: LEB
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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.