1 Samuel 12

1 And Shemuel said unto all Yisrael: “Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that you said unto me, and have made a king over you.

2 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.

3 Behold, here I am. Witness against me before יהוה, and before His anointed (mashiach); 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.”

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

5 And he said unto them, “יהוה is witness against you, and His anointed (mashiach) is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”

6 And Shemuel said unto the people, “It is יהוה that advanced Moses (Mosheh) and Aaron (Aharon), and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim).

7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before יהוה of all the righteous acts of יהוה, which He did to you and to your fathers:

8 When Jacob (Yaaqov) was come into Egypt (Mitsrayim), and your fathers cried unto יהוה, then יהוה sent Moses (Mosheh) and Aaron (Aharon), which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt (Mitsrayim), and made them dwell in this place.

9 And when they forgat יהוה their God (Elohim), 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 Moav, and they fought against them.

10 And they cried unto יהוה, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken יהוה, and have served 34Baals (Baalim) and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’

11 And יהוה sent Yerubaal, and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shemuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelled safe.

12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me, ‘Nay, but a king shall reign over us,’ when יהוה your God (Elohim) was your King.

13 Now therefore behold the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have desired! And, behold, יהוה hath set a king over you.

14 If you will fear יהוה, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of יהוה, then shall both you and also the king that reigneth over you continue following יהוה your God (Elohim);

15 But if you will not obey the voice of יהוה, but rebel against the commandment of יהוה, then shall the hand of יהוה be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which יהוה will do before your eyes:

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

18 So Shemuel called unto יהוה; and יהוה sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared יהוה and Shemuel.

19 And all the people said unto Shemuel, “Pray for your servants unto יהוה your God (Elohim), that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.”

20 And Shemuel said unto the people, “Fear not. You have done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from following יהוה, but serve יהוה with all your heart;

21 And turn you not aside; for then should you go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

22 For יהוה will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake, because it hath pleased יהוה to make you His people.

23 Moreover as for me, God (Elohim) forbid that I should sin against יהוה in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.

24 Only fear יהוה, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you.

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