1And 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 . 2And 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 youth unto this day . 3Here I am : witness against me before Jehovah , 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 taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you . 4And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us , nor oppressed us , neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand . 5And he said unto them , Jehovah is witness against you , and his anointed is witness this day , that ye have not found aught in my hand . And they said, He is witness .
The Lord's Faithfulness and Israel's Sin
6And Samuel said unto the people , It is Jehovah that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt . 7Now therefore stand still , that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah , which he did to you and to your fathers. 8When Jacob was come into Egypt , and your fathers cried unto Jehovah , then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt , and made them to dwell in this place . 9But they forgat Jehovah their God ; and 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 . 10And they cried unto Jehovah , and said, We have sinned , because we have forsaken Jehovah , and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth : but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies , and we will serve thee . 11And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal , and Bedan, and Jephthah , and Samuel , and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side ; and ye dwelt in safety. 12And 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 Jehovah your God was your king . 13Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for : and , behold , Jehovah hath set a king over you . 14If ye will fear Jehovah , and serve him , and hearken unto his voice , and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah , and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God , well : 15but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah , but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah , then will the hand of Jehovah be against you , as it was against your fathers. 16Now therefore stand still and see this great thing , which Jehovah will do before your eyes . 17Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah , that he may send thunder and rain ; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great , which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah , in asking you a king . 18So Samuel called unto Jehovah ; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day : and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel .
The Call to Faithfulness
19And all the people said unto Samuel , Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God , that we die not ; for we have added unto all our sins this evil , to ask us a king . 20And Samuel said unto the people , Fear not : ye have indeed done all this evil ; yet turn not aside from following Jehovah , but serve Jehovah with all your heart : 21and turn ye not aside ; for then would ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver , for they are vain . 22For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name ’s sake , because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself . 23Moreover as for me , far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you : but I will instruct you in the good and the right way . 24Only fear Jehovah , and serve him in truth with all your heart ; for consider how great things he hath done for you . 25But if ye shall still do wickedly , ye shall be consumed , both ye and your king .