1 Samuel 12:16-23

New International Version

¹⁶“Now then, stand still^(A) and see^(B) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! ¹⁷Is it not wheat harvest^(C) now? I will call^(D) on the Lord to send thunder^(E) and rain.^(F) And you will realize what an evil^(G) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

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

¹⁹The people all said to Samuel, “Pray^(J) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,^(K) 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;^(L) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹Do not turn away after useless^(M) idols.^(N) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²²For the sake^(O) of his great name^(P) the Lord will not reject^(Q) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make^(R) you his own. ²³As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray^(S) for you. And I will teach^(T) you the way that is good and right.

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1 Samuel 12:16-23

New King James Version

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

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

¹⁹And all the people said to Samuel, ^(G)“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.”

²⁰Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; ^(H)yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹And ^(I)do not turn aside; ^(J)for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. ²²For ^(K)the Lord will not forsake ^(L)His people, ^(M)for His great name’s sake, because ^(N)it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. ²³Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord ^(O)in ceasing to pray for you; but ^(P)I will teach you the ^(Q)good and the right way.

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1 Samuel 12:16-23

New American Standard Bible

¹⁶Even now, ^(A)take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord is going to do before your eyes. ¹⁷^(B)Is it not the wheat harvest today? ^(C)I will call to the Lord, that He will send ^[a]thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that ^(D)your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the Lord, by asking for yourselves a king.” ¹⁸So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent ^[b]thunder and rain that day; and ^(E)all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

¹⁹Then all the people said to Samuel, “^(F)Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so that we do not die; for we have added to all our sins ^(G)this evil, by asking for ourselves a king.” ²⁰Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet ^(H)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹Indeed, you must not turn aside, for then you would go after ^(I)useless things which cannot benefit or save, because they are useless. ²²For ^(J)the Lord will not abandon His people ^(K)on account of His great name, because the Lord ^(L)has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. ²³Furthermore, as for me, ^(M)far be it from me that I would sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but ^(N)I will instruct you in the good and right way.