1 S amuel 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.

¶ 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.

2 N ow, 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.

And 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.

3 H ere 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 ransom to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”

Behold, 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.

4 T hey said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us; neither hast thou taken anything of any man’s hand.

5 H e 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.”

And 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.

6 S amuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

¶ 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.

7 N ow 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.

Now, 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.

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.

After 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.

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.

And 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.

10 T hey 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.’

And 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.

11 Y ahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

Then 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.

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.

And 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.

13 N ow therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.

Now, therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired! Behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

14 I f 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.

If 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.

15 B ut 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.

But 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.

16 “ Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes.

¶ Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.

17 I sn’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.”

Is 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.

18 S o Samuel called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.

So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 A ll 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.”

And 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.

20 S amuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.

And 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;

21 D on’t turn aside to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.

do not turn aside after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

22 F or Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake because it has pleased the LORD to make you his people.

23 M oreover 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.

Moreover 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.

24 O nly fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.

Only fear the LORD and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done with you.

25 B ut if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”

But if ye shall persevere in doing wickedly, both ye and your king shall perish.