I Samuel 12

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

2. And now, behold, the king walks 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.

3. Behold, here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I received a bribe to blind my eyes with it? And I will restore it to you.”

4. And they said, “You have not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither have you taken from any man’s hand.”

5. And he said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”

6. And Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD Who appointed Moses and Aaron, and Who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7. And now stand still, so that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and to your fathers.

8. When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them live in this place.

9. And they forgot the LORD their God. And He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10. And they cried to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baalim and Ashtoreths. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’

11. 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 you lived safely.

12. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ even though the LORD your God was your King.

13. And now, behold the king whom you have chosen, whom you have desired! And behold, the LORD has set a king over you!

14. If you will fear the LORD, and serve Him, and listen to His voice, and not rebel against the commandments of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you shall continue following the LORD your God.

15. But if you will not hearken to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD shall be against you as it was against your fathers.

16. Also, now stand and see this great thing which the LORD shall do before your eyes.

17. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, and He shall send thunder and rain, so that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, that which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for you.”

18. And Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19. And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God so that we will not die, for we have added evil to all our sins to ask a king for us.”

20. And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21. And do not turn aside to go after vanities which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain,

22. Then the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.

23. Also, I, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD from ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way.

24. Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you.

25. But if you shall still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.”