I Samuel

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have yielded to you in all you have asked of me and have set a king over you.

Henceforth the king will be your leader.“As for me, I have grown old and gray—but my sons are still with you—and I have been your leader from my youth to this day.

Here I am! Testify against me, in the presence of GOD and in the presence of this anointed one: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded or whom have I robbed? From whom have I taken a bribe to look the other way?ato look the other way Septuagint reads “or a pair of sandals? [cf. Amos 2.6] Testify against me.” I will return it to you.”

They responded, “You have not defrauded us, and you have not robbed us, and you have taken nothing from anyone.”

He said to them, “GOD then is witness, and this anointed one is witness, to your admissionbto your admission Lit. “against you.” this day that you have found nothing in my possession.” TheycThey Heb. “he.” responded, “[God is] witness indeed!”

Samuel said to the people, “GOD [is witness]—who appointeddGOD [is witness]—who appointed Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt.

Come, stand before GOD while I cite against you all the kindnesses that GOD has done to you and your ancestors.

“When Jacob came to Egypt, …e… Septuagint adds “the Egyptians oppressed them.” your ancestors cried out to GOD, and GOD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

But they forgot the ETERNAL their God; so they were delivered into the hands of Sisera the military commander of Hazor, into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the king of Moab; and these made war upon them.

They cried to GOD, ‘We are guilty, for we have forsaken GOD and worshiped the Baalim and Ashtaroth.fBaalim and Ashtaroth Manifestations of Canaanite deities: the god Baal and the goddess Astarte. Oh, deliver us from our enemies and we will serve You.’

And GOD sent Jerubbaal and BedangBedan Septuagint “Barak.” and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the enemies around you; and you dwelt in security.

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king reigning over us’—though the ETERNAL your God is your King.hKing I.e., the One who provides protection and caring help, in return for loyalty.

“Well, GOD has set a king over you! Here is the king that you have chosen, that you have asked for.

“If you will revere, worship, and obey GOD—and not flout GOD’s command—if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the ETERNAL your God, [well and good].

But if you do not obey GOD—and you flout GOD’s command—GOD’s hand will strike you as it did your ancestors.ias it did your ancestors Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

“Now stand by and see the marvelous thing that GOD will do before your eyes.

It is the season of the wheat harvest.jseason of the wheat harvest When thunderstorms do not occur in the land of Israel. I will pray to GOD—who will send thunder and rain; then you will take thought and realize what a wicked thing you did in GOD’s sight when you asked for a king.”

Samuel prayed to GOD, and GOD sent thunder and rain that day, and the people stood in awe of GOD and of Samuel.

The people all said to Samuel, “Intercede for your servants with the ETERNAL your God that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins the wickedness of asking for a king.”

But Samuel said to the people, “Have no fear. You have, indeed, done all those wicked things. Do not, however, turn away from GOD, but serve GOD with all your heart.

Do not turn away to follow worthless things, which can neither profit nor save but are worthless.

For the sake of God’s great name, GOD will never abandon this people, seeing that GOD undertook to make you a covenanted people.

“As for me, far be it from me to sin against GOD and refrain from praying for you; and I will continue to instruct you in the practice of what is good and right.

Above all, you must revere GOD and serve faithfully with all your heart; and consider how grandly you have been dealt with.

For if you persist in your wrongdoing, both you and your king will be swept away.”