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1 Samuel 12
1599 Geneva Bible

12 1 Samuel declaring to the people his integrity, reproveth their ingratitude. 19 God by miracle causeth the people to confess their sin. 20 Samuel exhorteth the people to follow the Lord.

1 Samuel then said unto all Israel, Behold, I have [a]hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have appointed a King over you.

2 Now therefore behold, your King walketh [b]before you, and I am old and gray headed, and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

3 Behold, here I am: bear record of me before the Lord and before his anointed. [c]Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I done wrong to? or whom have I hurt? or of whose hand have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you?

4 Then they said, Thou hast done us no wrong, nor hast hurt us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

5 And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his [d]Anointed is witness this day, that ye have found nought in mine hands. And they answered, He is witness.

6 Then Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that [e]made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the [f]righteousness of the Lord, which he showed to you and to your fathers.

8 (A)After that Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then the Lord (B)sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

9 (C)And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera [g]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.

10 And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baal and Ashtoreth. Now therefore deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11 Therefore the Lord sent Jerubbaal [h]and Bedan and (D)Jephthah, and (E)Samuel, and delivered you out of the hands of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

12 Notwithstanding when you saw, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, [i]No, but a king shall reign over us: when yet the Lord your God was your King.

13 Now therefore behold the King whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired: lo therefore, the Lord hath set a King over you.

14 If ye will fear the Lord and serve him, and hear his voice, and not disobey the word of the Lord, both ye, and the king that reigneth over you, shall [j]follow the Lord your God.

15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but disobey the Lord’s mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be upon you, and on your [k]fathers.

16 Now also stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.

17 Is it not now wheat harvest? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain, that ye may perceive and see, how that your wickedness is [l]great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a king.

18 Then Samuel called unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain the same day: and all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly.

19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have sinned in asking us a King, beside [m]all our other sins.

20 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not, (ye have indeed done all this wickedness, [n]yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart,

21 Neither turn ye back: for that should be after vain things which cannot profit you, nor deliver you, for they are but vanity.)

22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you [o]his people.

23 Moreover God forbid, that I should sin against the Lord, and cease praying for you, but I will show you the good and right way.

24 Therefore fear you the Lord, and serve him in the truth with all your [p]hearts, and consider how great things he hath done for you.

25 But if ye do wickedly, ye shall perish, both ye and your King.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 12:1 I have granted your petition.
  2. 1 Samuel 12:2 To govern you in peace and war.
  3. 1 Samuel 12:3 God would that this confession should be a pattern for all them that have any charge or office.
  4. 1 Samuel 12:5 Your King, who is anointed by the commandment of the Lord.
  5. 1 Samuel 12:6 Or, exalted.
  6. 1 Samuel 12:7 Or, benefits.
  7. 1 Samuel 12:9 Captain of Jabin’s host, King of Hazor.
  8. 1 Samuel 12:11 That is, Samson, Judg. 13:25.
  9. 1 Samuel 12:12 Leaving God to seek the help of man, 1 Sam. 8:5.
  10. 1 Samuel 12:14 Ye shall be preserved as they that follow the Lord’s will.
  11. 1 Samuel 12:15 Meaning, the governors.
  12. 1 Samuel 12:17 In that ye have forsaken him, who hath all power in his hand, for a mortal man.
  13. 1 Samuel 12:19 Not only at other times, but now chiefly.
  14. 1 Samuel 12:20 He showeth that there is no sin so great, but it shall be forgiven, if the sinner turn again to God.
  15. 1 Samuel 12:22 Of his free mercy, and not of your merits, and therefore he will not forsake you.
  16. 1 Samuel 12:24 Unfeignedly, and without hypocrisy.
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1 Samuel 12
New International Version

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened(A) to everything you said to me and have set a king(B) over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader.(C) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons(D) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.(E) Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey(F) have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe(G) to make me shut my eyes? If I have done(H) any of these things, I will make it right.”(I)

4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness(J) against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything(K) in my hand.(L)”

“He is witness,” they said.

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought(M) your ancestors up out of Egypt. 7 Now then, stand(N) here, because I am going to confront(O) you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts(P) performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.

8 “After Jacob(Q) entered Egypt, they cried(R) to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent(S) Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 “But they forgot(T) the Lord their God; so he sold them(U) into the hand of Sisera,(V) the commander of the army of Hazor,(W) and into the hands of the Philistines(X) and the king of Moab,(Y) who fought against them. 10 They cried(Z) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken(AA) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.(AB) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,[a](AC) Barak,[b](AD) Jephthah(AE) and Samuel,[c](AF) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.

12 “But when you saw that Nahash(AG) king(AH) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule(AI) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king(AJ) you have chosen, the one you asked(AK) for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear(AL) the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel(AM) against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against(AN) his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

16 “Now then, stand still(AO) and see(AP) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest(AQ) now? I will call(AR) on the Lord to send thunder(AS) and rain.(AT) And you will realize what an evil(AU) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,(AV) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe(AW) of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 The people all said to Samuel, “Pray(AX) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,(AY) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;(AZ) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless(BA) idols.(BB) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake(BC) of his great name(BD) the Lord will not reject(BE) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make(BF) you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray(BG) for you. And I will teach(BH) you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear(BI) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;(BJ) consider(BK) what great(BL) things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist(BM) in doing evil, both you and your king(BN) will perish.”(BO)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 12:11 Also called Gideon
  2. 1 Samuel 12:11 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew Bedan
  3. 1 Samuel 12:11 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac Samson
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