1 Samuel 12:1-15

International Children’s Bible

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done everything you wanted me to do. I have put a king over you. ² Now you have a king to lead you. I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader since I was young. ³ Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, you must testify against me. Do this before the Lord and his appointed king. Did I steal anyone’s ox or donkey? Did I hurt or cheat anyone? Did I ever secretly take money to pretend not to see something wrong? If I did any of these things, I will make it right.”

⁴ The Israelites answered, “You have not cheated us. You have not hurt us. You have not taken anything unfairly from anyone.”

⁵ Samuel said to them, “The Lord is a witness to what you have said. His appointed king is also a witness today. They are both witnesses that you did not find anything wrong in me.”

“He is our witness,” they said.

⁶ Then Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is our witness. He chose Moses and Aaron. He brought your ancestors out of Egypt. ⁷ Now, stand there. And I will talk with you about all the good things the Lord did for you and your ancestors.

⁸ “After Jacob entered Egypt, his descendants cried to the Lord for help. So the Lord sent Moses and Aaron. They took your ancestors out of Egypt and brought them to live in this place.

⁹ “But they forgot the Lord their God. So he let them become the slaves of Sisera. He was the commander of the army of Hazor. The Lord let them become the slaves of the Philistines and the king of Moab. They all fought against your ancestors. ¹⁰ Then your ancestors cried to the Lord. They said, ‘We have sinned. We have left the Lord. We served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now save us from our enemies, and we will serve you.’ ¹¹ The Lord sent Gideon, who is also called Jerub-Baal. And he sent Barak, Jephthah and Samuel. Then he saved you from your enemies around you. And you lived in safety. ¹² But then you saw Nahash king of the Ammonites coming against you. You said, ‘No! We want a king to rule over us!’ ¹³ Now here is the king you chose. The Lord has put him over you. ¹⁴ You must honor the Lord and serve him. You must obey his commands. Both you and the king ruling over you must follow the Lord your God. If you do, it will be well with you. ¹⁵ But if you don’t obey the Lord, and if you fight against his commands, he will be against you. He will do to you what he did to your ancestors.