[1] And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have hearkened to your voice
in all that you have said to me, and have made a king over you. [2] And
now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray, and behold,
my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth until this
day. [3] Here I am; testify 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 from whose hand have I taken a bribe
to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
[4] They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything
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 said, "He is witness." [6] And Samuel said to the
people, "The LORD is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought
your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. [7] Now therefore stand still,
that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the saving deeds
of the LORD which he performed for you and for your fathers. [8] When Jacob
went into Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried
to the LORD and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your
fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. [9] But they
forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sis'era,
commander of the army of Jabin king 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 Ba'als and the Ash'taroth;
but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.'
[11] And the LORD sent Jerubba'al and Barak, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and
delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt
in safety. [12] And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came
against you, you said to me, `No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the
LORD your God was your king. [13] And now behold the king whom you have
chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you.
[14] If you will fear the LORD and serve him and hearken to his voice and
not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king
who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well; [15]
but if you will not hearken to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the
commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and
your king. [16] Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which
the LORD will do before your eyes. [17] Is it not wheat harvest today? I
will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall
know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the
sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king." [18] So Samuel called
upon 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, that we may not die;
for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king."
[20] And Samuel said to the people, "Fear not; you have done all this evil,
yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all
your heart; [21] and do not turn aside after vain things which cannot
profit or save, for they are vain. [22] For the LORD will not cast away his
people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make
you a people for himself. [23] Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I
should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct
you in the good and the right way. [24] Only fear the LORD, and serve him
faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done
for you. [25] But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both
you and your king."