Chapter 12
1 Samuel said to all Israel , " Behold , I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me , and have made a king over you .
2 Now , behold , the king walks before you . I am old and gray-headed. Behold , my sons are with you . I have walked before you from my youth to this day .
3 Here I am . Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed . Whose ox have I taken ? Whose donkey have I taken ? Whom have I defrauded ? Whom have I oppressed ? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes ? I will restore it to you ."
4 They said, " You have not defrauded us , nor oppressed us , neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand ."
5 He said to them , " Yahweh is witness against you , and his anointed is witness today , that you have not found anything in my hand ." They said, " He is witness ."
6 Samuel said to the people , " It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt .
7 Now therefore stand still , that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh , which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 " When Jacob had come into Egypt , and your fathers cried to Yahweh , then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt , and made them to dwell in this place .
9 But they forgot Yahweh their God ; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera , captain of the army of Hazor , and into the hand of the Philistines , and into the hand of the king of Moab ; and they fought against them .
10 They cried to Yahweh , and said, ‘ We have sinned , because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth ; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies , and we will serve you .’
11 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal , Bedan, Jephthah , and Samuel , and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side ; and you lived in safety.
12 " When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you , you said to me , ‘ No , but a king shall reign over us ,’ when Yahweh your God was your king .
13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for . Behold , Yahweh has set a king over you .
14 If you will fear Yahweh , and serve him , and listen to his voice , and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh , then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God .
15 But if you will not listen to Yahweh ’s voice , but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh , then Yahweh ’s hand will be against you , as it was against your fathers.
16 " Now therefore stand still and see this great thing , which Yahweh will do before your eyes .
17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today ? I will call to Yahweh , that he may send thunder and rain ; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great , which you have done in Yahweh ’s sight , in asking for a king ."
18 So Samuel called to Yahweh , and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day . Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel .
19 All 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 , to ask for a king ."
20 Samuel said to the people , "Don’t be afraid . You have indeed done all this evil ; yet don’t turn away from following Yahweh , but serve Yahweh with all your heart .
21 Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can ’t profit or deliver , for they are vain .
22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name ’s sake , because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself .
23 Moreover , as for me , far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you ; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way .
24 Only fear Yahweh , and serve him in truth with all your heart ; for consider what great things he has done for you .
25 But if you keep doing evil , you will be consumed , both you and your king ."