1 ¶ And 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, your king walks before you. I am old and grayheaded, and, behold, my sons are with you, and I have walked before you from my childhood 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 B ehold, here I am; witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. If I have taken anyone’s ox or if I have taken anyone’s ass or if I have defrauded anyone or if I have oppressed anyone or if I have received a bribe from anyone to blind my eyes, 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 anything 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, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day that ye have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, 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 ¶ Then Samuel said unto the people, The LORD is he who advanced Moses and Aaron and who 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 contend with you before the LORD of all the righteousnesses of the LORD 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 A fter Jacob had entered into Egypt and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt and made them 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 A nd when they forgot the LORD their God, 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 the LORD and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baalim and 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 T hen the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe.

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 sons of Ammon, came against you, ye said unto me, No, but a king shall reign over us when the LORD 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 desired! Behold, the LORD has 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 the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigns over you continue following the LORD your God.

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 hear the voice of the LORD but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD shall 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 ¶ Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing, which the LORD 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 the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD in asking for a king over you.

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 the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the LORD 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 slaves unto the LORD thy God that we not die, for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask for a king over us.

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, Do not fear. Ye have done all this wickedness, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD 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 d o not turn aside 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 the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake because it has pleased the LORD to make you his people.

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, in no wise should I sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you 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 the LORD and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done with 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 persevere in doing wickedly, both ye and your king shall perish.

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