1 Samuel 12

And 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.

1Samuel spoke to all the people of Israel. He said, "I listened to everything you asked of me. I have given you a king."

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 childhood unto this day.

2"Now your king leads you. I am old, and my hair is gray. My sons are here among you. I have led you since I was a boy."

3Behold, here I am: witness 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 of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

3"Here I am. Speak out now, in front of God and in front of the king. Did I ever take anyone's ox or donkey? Did I cheat anyone or treat anyone badly? Did I ever take money to look away from wrong? If I did, I will pay it all back."

Note"His anointed" means the king. When a man became king, oil was poured on his head to show God had chosen him. Here it means Saul.

4And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

4The people answered, "You never cheated us. You never treated us badly. You never took anything from anyone."

5And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

5Samuel said, "God has seen this today, and so has the king. You found nothing wrong in my hands." The people said, "Yes, God has seen it."

6And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

6Then Samuel said to the people, "It was God who chose Moses and Aaron. He brought your families out of the land of Egypt."

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

7"Now stand still. I want to talk this over with you in front of God. I will name all the good and right things God did for you and your families."

8When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

8"Jacob and his family went to Egypt. Later your families cried out to God for help. God sent Moses and Aaron. They led your families out of Egypt. God settled them here in this land."

9And when they forgat the LORD their God, 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.

9"But your families forgot God. So he handed them over to their enemies. Sisera, the army leader from Hazor, fought them. The Philistines fought them. The king of Moab fought them too."

10And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

10"Then they cried out to God. They said, 'We have done wrong. We left you and served Baal and Ashtoreth, gods that are not real. Save us from our enemies, and we will serve you.'"

11And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

11"So God sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel. God saved you from your enemies all around. You lived in your land safely."

NoteJerubbaal is another name for Gideon. Bedan is likely the leader called Barak. These were leaders God sent to rescue Israel. Samuel names himself too.

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 the LORD your God was your king.

12"Then Nahash, king of the Ammonites, came to fight you. You said to me, 'No. We want a king to rule us.' But God was already your king."

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

13"So here is the king you picked. He is the one you asked for. Look, God has given you a king."

14If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

14"Respect God. Serve him. Do what he says. Do not turn against his commands. If you and your king keep following God, things will go well."

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

15"But if you will not obey God, and you turn against his commands, God will be against you. He was against your families long ago too."

16Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.

16"Now stand still and watch. God is going to do something great right in front of your eyes."

17Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

17"This is the time when the wheat is being cut, isn't it? I will call to God, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will see how wrong it was to ask for a king."

NoteWheat was cut in the dry part of the year. Thunder and rain almost never came then. That is why it showed God's power.

18So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

18So Samuel called to God. That same day God sent thunder and rain. All the people were very afraid of God and of Samuel.

19And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

19The people said to Samuel, "Please pray to your God for us, so we will not die. We added one more wrong to all our others. We asked for a king."

20And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

20Samuel said to them, "Do not be afraid. You did do all this wrong. But do not turn away from God now. Serve God with your whole heart."

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

21"Do not turn away to follow things that are worth nothing. They cannot help you. They cannot save you. They are empty."

22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

22"God will not walk away from his people. His own great name is at stake. He was glad to make you his people."

23Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

23"As for me, I will not stop praying for you. Stopping would be a sin against God. I will keep teaching you the good and right way."

24Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

24"Most of all, respect God. Serve him truly, with your whole heart. Think about the great things he has done for you."

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

25"But if you keep doing evil, you will be swept away. Your king will be swept away too."