1 A nd Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “See, I have listened to all you have said to me. I have chosen a king to rule over you.

2 A nd now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day.

Now see, the king walks in front of you. But I am old. My hair is growing white. See, my sons are with you. I have walked in front of you since I was young, until this day.

3 H ere I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

Here I am. Speak against me to the Lord and Saul His chosen one. Whose bull have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? To whom have I not been honest? For whom have I made it hard? From whose hand have I taken pay for closing my eyes to the truth? I will return it to you.”

4 A nd they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.

They said, “You have always been honest with us. You have not made it hard for us, or taken anything from any man’s hand.”

5 A nd he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.

Samuel said to them, “The Lord has heard you. And His chosen one has heard this day that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “The Lord has heard.”

6 A nd Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is the One Who chose Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

7 N ow therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.

Now stand where you are, that I may argue with you before the Lord about all His saving acts which He did for you and your fathers.

8 W hen Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

When Jacob went into Egypt and the Egyptians made it hard for them, your fathers cried to the Lord. And the Lord sent Moses and Aaron. They brought your fathers out of Egypt, and had them live in this place.

9 B ut they forgat Jehovah their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.

But they forgot the Lord their God. So 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 A nd they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned because we have turned away from the Lord. We have worshiped the false gods, the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now save us from the power of those who hate us, and we will worship You.’

11 A nd Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety.

The Lord sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel, and saved you from the power of those all around who hated you. So you were safe.

12 A nd when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your God was your king.

But then you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you. So you said to me, ‘No! A king must rule over us,’ when the Lord your God was your King.

13 N ow therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set a king over you.

Now see the king you have chosen, the king you have asked for. See, the Lord has given you a king.

14 I f ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God, well:

Fear the Lord and worship Him. Listen to His voice and do not go against the Word of the Lord. If both you and the king who rules over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well.

15 b ut if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then will the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it was against your fathers.

But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, and go against the Lord’s Word, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 N ow therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes.

Now stand still and see this great thing which the Lord will do in front of your eyes.

17 I s it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king.

Is it not the time to gather grain today? I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that you have done a bad sin in the eyes of the Lord by asking for a king.”

18 S o Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were very much afraid of the Lord and Samuel.

19 A nd all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so we will not die. For we have added to all our sins this bad thing, to ask for a king.”

20 A nd Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart:

Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have done all these sins. But do not turn aside from following the Lord. Worship the Lord with all your heart.

21 a nd turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

Do not turn aside after things that have no worth and cannot save you, for they are nothing.

22 F or Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself.

The Lord will not leave His people alone, because of His great name. The Lord has been pleased to make you His people.

23 M oreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

And as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by not praying for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way.

24 O nly fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Only fear the Lord and be faithful to worship Him with all your heart. Think of the great things He has done for you.

25 B ut if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

But if you still sin, both you and your king will be destroyed.”