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1 Samuel 12
New American Standard Bible

Samuel Addresses Israel

12 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, (A)I have listened to your voice for all that you said to me, and I (B)have appointed a king over you. 2 Now, (C)here is the king walking before you, but as for me, (D)I am old and gray, and (E)my sons are here with you. And (F)I have walked before you since my youth to this day. 3 Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and (G)His anointed. (H)Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed, or (I)from whose hand have I taken a bribe to close my eyes with it? I will return it to you.” 4 And they said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us, or taken anything from anyone’s hand.” 5 So he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that (J)you have found nothing (K)in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who [a](L)appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now then, take your stand, (M)so that I may enter into judgment with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord that He did for you and your fathers. 8 (N)When Jacob went into Egypt and (O)your fathers cried out to the Lord, then (P)the Lord sent Moses and Aaron [b](Q)who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. 9 But (R)they forgot the Lord their God, so (S)He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and (T)into the hand of the Philistines, and (U)into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 (V)They cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have abandoned the Lord and have served (W)the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but (X)now save us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 Then the Lord sent (Y)Jerubbaal, [c](Z)Bedan, (AA)Jephthah, and (AB)Samuel, and saved you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.

The King Confirmed

12 But when you saw (AC)that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon was coming against you, you said to me, ‘(AD)No, but a king shall reign over us!’ (AE)Yet the Lord your God was your king. 13 And now, (AF)behold, the king whom you have chosen, (AG)whom you have asked for, and behold, the Lord has [d]put a king over you. 14 (AH)If you will fear the Lord and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the [e]command of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God. 15 But (AI)if you do not listen to the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the [f]command of the Lord, then (AJ)the hand of the Lord will be against you, (AK)even as it was against your fathers. 16 Even now, (AL)take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord is going to do before your eyes. 17 (AM)Is it not the wheat harvest today? (AN)I will call to the Lord, that He will send [g]thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that (AO)your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the Lord, by asking for yourselves a king.” 18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent [h]thunder and rain that day; and (AP)all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “(AQ)Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so that we do not die; for we have added to all our sins (AR)this evil, by asking for ourselves a king.” 20 Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet (AS)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Indeed, you must not turn aside, for then you would go after (AT)useless things which cannot benefit or save, because they are useless. 22 For (AU)the Lord will not abandon His people (AV)on account of His great name, because the Lord (AW)has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. 23 Furthermore, as for me, (AX)far be it from me that I would sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but (AY)I will instruct you in the good and right way. 24 (AZ)Only [i]fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider (BA)what great things He has done for you. 25 (BB)But if you still do evil, (BC)both you and your king (BD)will be swept away.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 12:6 Lit made
  2. 1 Samuel 12:8 Lit and they brought
  3. 1 Samuel 12:11 LXX and Syriac Barak
  4. 1 Samuel 12:13 Lit given
  5. 1 Samuel 12:14 Lit mouth
  6. 1 Samuel 12:15 Lit mouth
  7. 1 Samuel 12:17 Lit sounds
  8. 1 Samuel 12:18 Lit sounds
  9. 1 Samuel 12:24 Or revere
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1 Samuel 12
The Message

“Don’t Chase After Ghost-Gods”

12 1-3 Samuel addressed all Israel: “I’ve listened to everything you’ve said to me, listened carefully to every word, and I’ve given you a king. See for yourself: Your king among you, leading you! But now look at me: I’m old and gray, and my sons are still here. I’ve led you faithfully from my youth until this very day. Look at me! Do you have any complaints to bring before God and his anointed? Have I ever stolen so much as an ox or a donkey? Have I ever taken advantage of you or exploited you? Have I ever taken a bribe or played fast and loose with the law? Bring your complaint and I’ll make it right.”

4 “Oh no,” they said, “never. You’ve never done any of that—never abused us, never lined your own pockets.”

5 “That settles it then,” said Samuel. “God is witness, and his anointed is witness that you find nothing against me—no faults, no complaints.”

6-8 And the people said, “He is witness.”

Samuel continued, “This is the God who made Moses and Aaron your leaders and brought your ancestors out of Egypt. Take your stand before him now as I review your case before God in the light of all the righteous ways in which God has worked with you and your ancestors. When Jacob’s sons entered Egypt, the Egyptians made life hard for them and they cried for help to God. God sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them here in this place.

9 “They soon forgot their God, so he sold them off to Sisera, commander of Hazor’s army, later to a hard life under the Philistines, and still later to the king of Moab. They had to fight for their lives.

10 “Then they cried for help to God. They confessed, ‘We’ve sinned! We’ve gone off and left God and worshiped the fertility gods and goddesses of Canaan. Oh, deliver us from the brutalities of our enemies and we’ll worship you alone.’

11 “So God sent Jerub-Baal (Gideon), Bedan (Barak), Jephthah, and Samuel. He saved you from that hard life surrounded by enemies, and you lived in peace.

12 “But when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, preparing to attack you, you said to me, ‘No more of this. We want a king to lead us.’ And God was already your king!

13-15 “So here’s the king you wanted, the king you asked for. God has let you have your own way, given you a king. If you fear God, worship and obey him, and don’t rebel against what he tells you. If both you and your king follow God, no problem. God will be sure to save you. But if you don’t obey him and rebel against what he tells you, king or no king, you will fare no better than your fathers.

16-17 “Pay attention! Watch this wonder that God is going to perform before you now! It’s summer, as you well know, and the rainy season is over. But I’m going to pray to God. He’ll send thunder and rain, a sign to convince you of the great wrong you have done to God by asking for a king.”

18 Samuel prayed to God, and God sent thunder and rain that same day. The people were greatly afraid and in awe of God and of Samuel.

19 Then all the people begged Samuel, “Pray to your God for us, your servants. Pray that we won’t die! On top of all our other sins, we’ve piled on one more—asking for a king!”

20-22 Samuel said to them, “Don’t be fearful. It’s true that you have done something very wrong. All the same, don’t turn your back on God. Worship and serve him heart and soul! Don’t chase after ghost-gods. There’s nothing to them. They can’t help you. They’re nothing but ghost-gods! God, simply because of who he is, is not going to walk off and leave his people. God took delight in making you into his very own people.

23-25 “And neither will I walk off and leave you. That would be a sin against God! I’m staying right here at my post praying for you and teaching you the good and right way to live. But I beg of you, fear God and worship him honestly and heartily. You’ve seen how greatly he has worked among you! Be warned: If you live badly, both you and your king will be thrown out.”

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1 Samuel 12
New International Version

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened(A) to everything you said to me and have set a king(B) over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader.(C) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons(D) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.(E) Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey(F) have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe(G) to make me shut my eyes? If I have done(H) any of these things, I will make it right.”(I)

4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness(J) against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything(K) in my hand.(L)”

“He is witness,” they said.

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought(M) your ancestors up out of Egypt. 7 Now then, stand(N) here, because I am going to confront(O) you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts(P) performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.

8 “After Jacob(Q) entered Egypt, they cried(R) to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent(S) Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 “But they forgot(T) the Lord their God; so he sold them(U) into the hand of Sisera,(V) the commander of the army of Hazor,(W) and into the hands of the Philistines(X) and the king of Moab,(Y) who fought against them. 10 They cried(Z) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken(AA) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.(AB) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,[a](AC) Barak,[b](AD) Jephthah(AE) and Samuel,[c](AF) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.

12 “But when you saw that Nahash(AG) king(AH) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule(AI) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king(AJ) you have chosen, the one you asked(AK) for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear(AL) the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel(AM) against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against(AN) his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

16 “Now then, stand still(AO) and see(AP) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest(AQ) now? I will call(AR) on the Lord to send thunder(AS) and rain.(AT) And you will realize what an evil(AU) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,(AV) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe(AW) of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 The people all said to Samuel, “Pray(AX) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,(AY) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;(AZ) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless(BA) idols.(BB) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake(BC) of his great name(BD) the Lord will not reject(BE) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make(BF) you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray(BG) for you. And I will teach(BH) you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear(BI) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;(BJ) consider(BK) what great(BL) things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist(BM) in doing evil, both you and your king(BN) will perish.”(BO)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 12:11 Also called Gideon
  2. 1 Samuel 12:11 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew Bedan
  3. 1 Samuel 12:11 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac Samson
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1 Samuel 12
New King James Version

Samuel’s Address at Saul’s Coronation

12 Now Samuel said to all Israel: “Indeed I have [a]heeded (A)your voice in all that you said to me, and (B)have made a king over you. 2 And now here is the king, (C)walking before you; (D)and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before (E)His anointed: (F)Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any (G)bribe with which to (H)blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”

4 And they said, (I)“You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.”

5 Then he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, (J)that you have not found anything (K)in my hand.”

And they answered, “He is witness.”

6 Then Samuel said to the people, (L)“It is the Lord who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore, stand still, that I may (M)reason with you before the Lord concerning all the (N)righteous acts of the Lord which He did to you and your fathers: 8 (O)When Jacob had gone into [b]Egypt, and your fathers (P)cried out to the Lord, then the Lord (Q)sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they (R)forgot the Lord their God, He sold them into the hand of (S)Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the (T)Philistines, and into the hand of the king of (U)Moab; and they fought against them. 10 Then they cried out to the Lord, and said, (V)‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord (W)and served the Baals and [c]Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 And the Lord sent [d]Jerubbaal, [e]Bedan, (X)Jephthah, and (Y)Samuel,[f] and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that (Z)Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, (AA)you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when (AB)the Lord your God was your king.

13 “Now therefore, (AC)here is the king (AD)whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, (AE)the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you (AF)fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God. 15 However, if you do (AG)not obey the voice of the Lord, but (AH)rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 “Now therefore, (AI)stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes: 17 Is today not the (AJ)wheat harvest? (AK)I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and (AL)rain, that you may perceive and see that (AM)your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking a king for yourselves.”

18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and (AN)all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

19 And all the people said to Samuel, (AO)“Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.”

20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; (AP)yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And (AQ)do not turn aside; (AR)for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For (AS)the Lord will not forsake (AT)His people, (AU)for His great name’s sake, because (AV)it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord (AW)in ceasing to pray for you; but (AX)I will teach you the (AY)good and the right way. 24 (AZ)Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for (BA)consider what (BB)great things He has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, (BC)you shall be swept away, (BD)both you and your king.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 12:1 listened to
  2. 1 Samuel 12:8 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX adds and the Egyptians afflicted them
  3. 1 Samuel 12:10 Images of Canaanite goddesses
  4. 1 Samuel 12:11 Gideon, cf. Judg. 6:25–32; Syr. Deborah; Tg. Gideon
  5. 1 Samuel 12:11 LXX, Syr. Barak; Tg. Simson
  6. 1 Samuel 12:11 Syr. Simson
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