AMP ▾1 Samuel ▾12 ▾1 Samuel 121Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in everything that you have said to me and have appointed a king over you.2And now, here is the king walking before you. As for me, I am old and gray, and here are my sons with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day.3Here I am; testify against me before the L ord and [Saul] His anointed [if I have done someone wrong]. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes [to the truth]? [Tell me and] I will restore it to you.”4They said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us or taken anything at all from a man’s hand.”5Samuel said to them, “The L ord is a witness against you, and [Saul] His anointed is a witness this day that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “ He is a witness.”6Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the L ord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers (ancestors) up from the land of Egypt.7Now then, take your stand, so that I may plead and contend with you before the L ord concerning all the righteous acts of the L ord which He did for you and for your fathers.8When Jacob [and his sons] had come into Egypt [and later when the Egyptians oppressed them] and your fathers cried out to the L ord , then the L ord sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.9But when they forgot the L ord their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of Hazor’s army, and into the hand of the Philistines and of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.10They cried out to the L ord , saying, ‘We have sinned because we have abandoned (rejected) the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now rescue us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.’11Then the L ord sent Jerubbaal (Gideon) and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and He rescued you from the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in security.12But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites had come against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us’—although the L ord your God was your King.13Now therefore, here is [Saul] the king whom you have chosen, and for whom you asked; behold, the L ord has set a king over you.14If you will fear the L ord [with awe and profound reverence] and serve Him and listen to His voice and not rebel against His commandment, then both you and your king will follow the L ord your God [and it will be well].15But if you do not listen to the L ord ’ s voice, but rebel against His command, then the hand of the L ord will be against you [to punish you], as it was against your fathers.16So now, take your stand and see this great thing which the L ord will do before your eyes.17Is it not [the beginning of the] wheat harvest today? I will call to the L ord and He will send thunder and rain; then you will know [without any doubt], and see that your evil which you have done is great in the sight of the L ord by asking for yourselves a king.”18So Samuel called to the L ord [in prayer], and He sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the L ord and Samuel.19Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the L ord your God for your servants, so that we will not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil—to ask for a king for ourselves.”20Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have [indeed] done all this evil; yet do not turn away from following the L ord , but serve the L ord with all your heart.21You must not turn away, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or rescue, because they are futile.22The L ord will not abandon His people for His great name’s sake, because the L ord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.23Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the L ord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.24Only fear the L ord [with awe and profound reverence] and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.25But if you still do evil, both you and your king will be swept away [to destruction].”1 Samuel 111 Samuel 13