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1 Samuel 12
Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 12
Christian Standard Bible
Samuel’s Final Public Speech
12 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have carefully listened to everything you said to me and placed a king over you.(A) 2 Now you can see that the king is leading you. As for me, I’m old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from my youth until now. 3 Here I am. Bring charges against me before the Lord and his anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken?(B) Who have I wronged or mistreated? Who gave me a bribe to overlook something?[a](C) I will return it to you.”
4 “You haven’t wronged us, you haven’t mistreated us, and you haven’t taken anything from anyone,” they responded.
5 He said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and his anointed is a witness today that you haven’t found anything(D) in my hand.”(E)
“He is a witness,” they said.
6 Then Samuel said to the people, “The Lord, who appointed Moses and Aaron(F) and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt, is a witness.[b] 7 Now present yourselves, so I may confront you before the Lord about all the righteous acts he has done for you and your ancestors.
8 “When Jacob went to Egypt,[c] your ancestors cried out to the Lord,(G) and he sent them Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.(H) 9 But they forgot the Lord their God, so he handed them over to Sisera(I) commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab.(J) These enemies fought against them. 10 Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, for we abandoned the Lord and worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Now rescue us from the power of our enemies,(K) and we will serve you.’ 11 So the Lord sent Jerubbaal,(L) Barak,[d](M) Jephthah,(N) and Samuel.(O) He rescued you from the power of the enemies around you, and you lived securely. 12 But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king reign over us’—even though the Lord your God is your king.
13 “Now here is the king you’ve chosen,(P) the one you requested.(Q) Look, this is the king the Lord has placed over you. 14 If you fear the Lord,(R) worship and obey him, and if you don’t rebel against the Lord’s command, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God. 15 However, if you disobey the Lord(S) and rebel against his command, the Lord’s hand will be against you(T) as it was against your ancestors.[e](U)
16 “Now, therefore, present yourselves and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.(V) 17 Isn’t the wheat harvest today?(W) I will call on the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain so that you will recognize what an immense evil you committed in the Lord’s sight by requesting a king for yourselves.”(X) 18 Samuel called on the Lord, and on that day the Lord sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.(Y)
19 They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants(Z) so we won’t die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of requesting a king for ourselves.”(AA)
20 Samuel replied, “Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord.(AB) Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart. 21 Don’t turn away to follow worthless[f] things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless.(AC) 22 The Lord will not abandon his people,(AD) because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people.(AE)
23 “As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.(AF) I will teach you the good and right way. 24 Above all, fear the Lord and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you.(AG) 25 However, if you continue to do what is evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”(AH)
Footnotes
1 Samuel 12
English Standard Version
1 Samuel 12
English Standard Version
Samuel's Farewell Address
12 And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed (A)your voice in all that you have said to me (B)and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king (C)walks before you, (D)and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. 3 Here I am; testify 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 defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me[a] and I will restore it to you.” 4 They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand.” 5 And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and (G)his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything (H)in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”
6 And Samuel said to the people, (I)“The Lord is witness,[b] who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers. 8 (J)When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them,[c] (K)then your fathers cried out to the Lord and (L)the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, (M)who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 But (N)they forgot the Lord their God. (O)And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor,[d] (P)and into the hand of the Philistines, (Q)and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. 10 (R)And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord (S)and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now (T)deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ 11 And the Lord sent (U)Jerubbaal (V)and Barak[e] (W)and Jephthah and (X)Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety. 12 And when you saw that (Y)Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, (Z)you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ (AA)when the Lord your God was your king. 13 And now (AB)behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, (AC)the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you will (AD)fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. 15 But (AE)if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then (AF)the hand of the Lord will be against you and (AG)your king.[f] 16 Now therefore (AH)stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes. 17 (AI)Is it not wheat harvest today? (AJ)I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that (AK)your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.” 18 So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, (AL)and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
19 And all the people said to Samuel, (AM)“Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” 20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet (AN)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And (AO)do not turn aside after (AP)empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22 (AQ)For the Lord will not forsake his people, (AR)for his great name's sake, because (AS)it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing (AT)to pray for you, (AU)and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 (AV)Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider (AW)what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, (AX)you shall be swept away, (AY)both you and your king.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 12:3 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks Testify against me
- 1 Samuel 12:6 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks is witness
- 1 Samuel 12:8 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks and the Egyptians oppressed them
- 1 Samuel 12:9 Septuagint the army of Jabin king of Hazor
- 1 Samuel 12:11 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew Bedan
- 1 Samuel 12:15 Septuagint; Hebrew fathers
1 Samuel 12
New International Version
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 Samuel 12:11 Also called Gideon
- 1 Samuel 12:11 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew Bedan
- 1 Samuel 12:11 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac Samson
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.