1 Samuel 12

1And Samuel saith unto all Israel, `Lo, I have hearkened to your voice, to all that ye said to me, and I cause to reign over you a king,

1And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

2and now, lo, the king is walking habitually before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, lo, they <FI>are<Fi> with you, and I have walked habitually before you from my youth till this day.

2And now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth until this day, behold here I am.

3`Lo, here <FI>am<Fi> I; testify against me, over-against Jehovah, and over-against His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide mine eyes with it? --and I restore to you.'

3Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man's ox, or ass: if I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man's hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.

4And they say, `Thou hast not oppressed us, nor hast thou crushed us, nor hast thou taken from the hand of any one anything.'

4And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man's hand.

5And he saith unto them, `A witness <FI>is<Fi> Jehovah against you: and a witness <FI>is<Fi> His anointed this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand;' and they say, `A witness.'

5And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.

6And Samuel saith unto the people, `Jehovah--He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt!

6And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.

7and, now, station yourselves, and I judge you before Jehovah, with all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which He did with you, and with your fathers.

7Now, therefore, stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:

8`When Jacob hath come in to Egypt, and your fathers cry unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sendeth Moses and Aaron, and they bring out your fathers from Egypt, and cause them to dwell in this place,

8How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

9and they forget Jehovah their God, and He selleth them into the hand of Sisera, head of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fight against them,

9And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10and they cry unto Jehovah, and say, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and serve the Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we serve Thee.

10But afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11`And Jehovah sendeth Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivereth you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and ye dwell confidently.

11And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.

12`And ye see that Nahash king of the Bene-Ammon hath come against you, and ye say to me, Nay, but a king doth reign over us; and Jehovah your God <FI>is<Fi> your king!

12But seeing that Naas, king of the children of Ammon, was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.

13And, now, lo, the king whom ye have chosen--whom ye have asked! and lo, Jehovah hath placed over you a king.

13Now, therefore, your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.

14`If ye fear Jehovah, and have served Him, and hearkened to His voice, then ye do not provoke the mouth of Jehovah, and ye have been--both ye and the king who hath reigned over you--after Jehovah your God.

14If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of the Lord your God.

15`And if ye do not hearken to the voice of Jehovah--then ye have provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and the hand of Jehovah hath been against you, and against your fathers.

15But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.

16`Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing which Jehovah is doing before your eyes;

16Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.

17is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I call unto Jehovah, and He doth give voices and rain; and know ye and see that your evil is great which ye have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask for you a king.'

17Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know, and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.

18And Samuel calleth unto Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth voices and rain, on that day, and all the people greatly fear Jehovah and Samuel;

18And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.

19and all the people say unto Samuel, `Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, and we do not die, for we have added to all our sins evil to ask for us a king.'

19And all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.

20And Samuel saith unto the people, `Fear not; ye have done all this evil; only, turn not aside from after Jehovah--and ye have served Jehovah with all your heart,

20And Samuel said to the people: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.

21and ye do not turn aside after the vain things which do not profit nor deliver, for they <FI>are<Fi> vain,

21And turn not aside after vain things, which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.

22for Jehovah doth not leave His people, on account of His great name; for Jehovah hath been pleased to make you to Him for a people.

22And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.

23`I, also, far be it from me to sin against Jehovah, by ceasing to pray for you, and I have directed you in the good and upright way;

23And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you: and I will teach you the good and right way.

24only, fear ye Jehovah, and ye have served Him in truth with all your heart, for see that which He hath made great with you;

24Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth, and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.

25and if ye really do evil, both ye and your king are consumed.'

25But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.