And Samuel said
unto all Israel
, Behold, I have hearkened
unto your voice
in all that ye said
unto me, and have made
a king
over you.
And now, behold, the king walketh
before
you: and I am old
and grayheaded
; and, behold, my sons
are with you: and I have walked
before
you from my childhood
unto this day
.
Behold, here I am : witness against me before the LORD
, and before his anointed
: whose ox
have I taken
? or whose ass
have I taken
? or whom have I defrauded
? whom have I oppressed
? or of whose hand
have I received any bribe
to blind
mine eyes
therewith? and I will restore
it you.
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded
us, nor oppressed
us, neither hast thou taken
ought
of any man's
hand
.
And he said unto them, The LORD
is witness
against you, and his anointed
is witness
this day
, that ye have not found
ought
in my hand
. And they answered
, He is witness
.
And Samuel said
unto the people
, It is the LORD
that advanced
Moses
and Aaron
, and that brought
your fathers
up
out of the land
of Egypt
.
Now therefore stand still, that I may reason
with you before
the LORD
of all the righteous acts
of the LORD
, which he did
to you and to your fathers
.
When Jacob was come
into Egypt
, and your fathers
cried
unto the LORD
, then the LORD
sent
Moses
and Aaron
, which brought forth
your fathers
out of Egypt
, and made them dwell
in this place
.
And when they forgat the LORD
their God
, he sold
them into the hand
of Sisera
, 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.
And they cried unto the LORD
, and said
, We have sinned
, because we have forsaken
the LORD
, and have served
Baalim
and Ashtaroth
: but now deliver
us out of the hand
of our enemies
, and we will serve
thee.
And the LORD sent
Jerubbaal
, and Bedan
, and Jephthah
, and Samuel
, and delivered
you out of the hand
of your enemies
on every side
, and ye dwelled
safe
.
And when ye saw that Nahash
the king
of the children
of Ammon
came
against you, ye said
unto me, Nay; but a king
shall reign
over us: when the LORD
your God
was your king
.
Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen
, and whom ye have desired
! and, behold, the LORD
hath set
a king
over you.
If ye will fear the LORD
, and serve
him, and obey
his voice
, and not rebel
against the commandment
of the LORD
, then shall both ye and also the king
that reigneth
over you continue following
the LORD
your God
:
But if ye will not obey the voice
of the LORD
, but rebel
against the commandment
of the LORD
, then shall the hand
of the LORD
be against you, as it was against your fathers
.
Now therefore stand
and see
this great
thing
, which the LORD
will do
before your eyes
.
Is it not wheat harvest
to day
? I will call
unto the LORD
, and he shall send
thunder
and rain
; that ye may perceive
and see
that your wickedness
is great
, which ye have done
in the sight
of the LORD
, in asking
you a king
.
So Samuel called
unto the LORD
; and the LORD
sent
thunder
and rain
that day
: and all the people
greatly
feared
the LORD
and Samuel
.
And all the people said
unto Samuel
, Pray
for thy servants
unto the LORD
thy God
, that we die
not: for we have added
unto all our sins
this evil
, to ask
us a king
.
And Samuel said
unto the people
, Fear
not: ye have done
all this wickedness
: yet turn not aside
from following
the LORD
, but serve
the LORD
with all your heart
;
And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after
vain
things , which cannot profit
nor deliver
; for they are vain
.
For the LORD will not forsake
his people
for his great
name's
sake: because it hath pleased
the LORD
to make
you his people
.
Moreover as for me, God forbid
that I should sin
against the LORD
in ceasing
to pray
for you: but I will teach
you the good
and the right
way
:
Only fear the LORD
, and serve
him in truth
with all your heart
: for consider
how great things he hath done
for you.
But if ye shall still do wickedly
, ye shall be consumed
, both ye and your king
.