撒母耳的临别警戒

12 撒母耳对以色列人说:“看啊,我已照你们的要求为你们立了一个王。 你们已经有君王了。我自幼带领你们,现在已年老发白,我的儿子也都在你们这里。 如今我站在这里,你们只管在耶和华和祂膏立的王面前为我作证,我夺过谁的牛?抢过谁的驴?欺骗过谁?压迫过谁?收过谁的贿赂而徇私枉法?如果有的话,我一定偿还。” 他们答道:“你没有欺骗、压迫过我们,也没有拿过任何人的东西。” 撒母耳对他们说:“耶和华和祂所膏立的王今天为我作证,我没有拿过你们任何人的东西。”他们说:“是的,耶和华为证。”

撒母耳继续说:“是耶和华派摩西和亚伦带领你们的祖先离开埃及。 现在,你们都要站在耶和华面前,让我来提醒你们有关耶和华过去曾为你们和你们祖先所做的一切公义作为。 从前,雅各曾迁到埃及,你们的祖先受到埃及人的压迫,向耶和华呼求,耶和华就差遣摩西和亚伦带领他们离开埃及,来到这里居住。 他们却忘记了他们的上帝耶和华,于是耶和华让他们落入夏琐的将军西西拉、非利士人和摩押王的手中,这些人常常攻击他们。 10 他们就向耶和华呼求,‘耶和华啊,我们犯了罪,我们背弃了你去供奉巴力和亚斯她录,现在求你从仇敌手中救我们,我们必事奉你。’ 11 耶和华就派耶路·巴力、比但、耶弗他和撒母耳[a]从周围的敌人手中救你们,使你们安然居住。 12 可是你们看到亚扪王拿辖来攻击你们,就对我说,‘不行,我们要有一个王来统治我们。’其实你们的上帝耶和华就是你们的王。 13 现在,你们所求所选的王在这里,耶和华为你们立了一位王。 14 如果你们敬畏耶和华,事奉祂,听从祂的吩咐,不违背祂的命令,你们和统治你们的王都愿意跟从祂,一切都会顺利。 15 如果你们不听从耶和华的话,违背祂的命令,祂就会像从前惩罚你们的祖先一样惩罚你们。 16 现在你们站着留心看,耶和华就要在你们面前行一件大事。 17 你们都知道收割麦子的时候不会下雨。现在,我要向耶和华祷告,求祂打雷降雨,好让你们知道,你们要求立王在耶和华眼中是多么大的罪。” 18 于是,撒母耳向耶和华呼求,耶和华便在当天打雷降雨,民众非常害怕耶和华和撒母耳。

19 他们求撒母耳,说:“求你为仆人们向你的上帝耶和华祈祷,免得我们死亡!因为我们要求立王是罪上加罪。” 20 撒母耳说:“不要害怕,你们虽然做了这恶事,但不可离开耶和华,要全心全意地事奉祂。 21 不要去追求其他虚无的假神,它们对你们毫无益处,也不能拯救你们。 22 耶和华不会丢弃祂的子民,使自己的大名受损,祂乐意使你们做祂的子民。 23 至于我,我会不断地为你们祈祷,免得我得罪耶和华。我会教导你们行善道、走正路。 24 你们要单单敬畏耶和华,全心全意地事奉他,想想他为你们做了何等伟大的事。 25 可是,如果你们仍然继续行恶,你们和你们的王都必灭亡。”

Footnotes

  1. 12:11 耶路·巴力、比但、耶弗他和撒母耳”有古卷作“基甸、巴拉、耶弗他和参孙”。

12 1 Samuel declaring to the people his integrity, reproveth their ingratitude. 19 God by miracle causeth the people to confess their sin. 20 Samuel exhorteth the people to follow the Lord.

Samuel then said unto all Israel, Behold, I have [a]hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have appointed a King over you.

Now therefore behold, your King walketh [b]before you, and I am old and gray headed, and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

Behold, here I am: bear record of me before the Lord and before his anointed. [c]Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I done wrong to? or whom have I hurt? or of whose hand have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you?

Then they said, Thou hast done us no wrong, nor hast hurt us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his [d]Anointed is witness this day, that ye have found nought in mine hands. And they answered, He is witness.

Then Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that [e]made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the [f]righteousness of the Lord, which he showed to you and to your fathers.

(A)After that Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then the Lord (B)sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

(C)And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera [g]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 And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baal and Ashtoreth. Now therefore deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11 Therefore the Lord sent Jerubbaal [h]and Bedan and (D)Jephthah, and (E)Samuel, and delivered you out of the hands of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

12 Notwithstanding when you saw, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, [i]No, but a king shall reign over us: when yet the Lord your God was your King.

13 Now therefore behold the King whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired: lo therefore, the Lord hath set a King over you.

14 If ye will fear the Lord and serve him, and hear his voice, and not disobey the word of the Lord, both ye, and the king that reigneth over you, shall [j]follow the Lord your God.

15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but disobey the Lord’s mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be upon you, and on your [k]fathers.

16 Now also stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.

17 Is it not now wheat harvest? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain, that ye may perceive and see, how that your wickedness is [l]great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a king.

18 Then Samuel called unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain the same day: and all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly.

19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have sinned in asking us a King, beside [m]all our other sins.

20 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not, (ye have indeed done all this wickedness, [n]yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart,

21 Neither turn ye back: for that should be after vain things which cannot profit you, nor deliver you, for they are but vanity.)

22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you [o]his people.

23 Moreover God forbid, that I should sin against the Lord, and cease praying for you, but I will show you the good and right way.

24 Therefore fear you the Lord, and serve him in the truth with all your [p]hearts, and consider how great things he hath done for you.

25 But if ye do wickedly, ye shall perish, both ye and your King.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 12:1 I have granted your petition.
  2. 1 Samuel 12:2 To govern you in peace and war.
  3. 1 Samuel 12:3 God would that this confession should be a pattern for all them that have any charge or office.
  4. 1 Samuel 12:5 Your King, who is anointed by the commandment of the Lord.
  5. 1 Samuel 12:6 Or, exalted.
  6. 1 Samuel 12:7 Or, benefits.
  7. 1 Samuel 12:9 Captain of Jabin’s host, King of Hazor.
  8. 1 Samuel 12:11 That is, Samson, Judg. 13:25.
  9. 1 Samuel 12:12 Leaving God to seek the help of man, 1 Sam. 8:5.
  10. 1 Samuel 12:14 Ye shall be preserved as they that follow the Lord’s will.
  11. 1 Samuel 12:15 Meaning, the governors.
  12. 1 Samuel 12:17 In that ye have forsaken him, who hath all power in his hand, for a mortal man.
  13. 1 Samuel 12:19 Not only at other times, but now chiefly.
  14. 1 Samuel 12:20 He showeth that there is no sin so great, but it shall be forgiven, if the sinner turn again to God.
  15. 1 Samuel 12:22 Of his free mercy, and not of your merits, and therefore he will not forsake you.
  16. 1 Samuel 12:24 Unfeignedly, and without hypocrisy.