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.

¹⁶ “Now then, stand still^(A) and see^(B) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! ¹⁷ Is 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.”

¹⁸ Then 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.

¹⁹ The 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. ²¹ Do not turn away after useless^(M) idols.^(N) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²² For 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. ²³ As 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. ²⁴ But be sure to fear^(U) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;^(V) consider^(W) what great^(X) things he has done for you. ²⁵ Yet if you persist^(Y) in doing evil, both you and your king^(Z) will perish.”^(AA)