¹⁶ “Now therefore, ^(A)stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes: ¹⁷ Is 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.”

¹⁸ So 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.

¹⁹ And 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.”

²⁰ Then 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. ²¹ And ^(I)do not turn aside; ^(J)for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. ²² For ^(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. ²³ Moreover, 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.