Old Testament · 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 12

Samuel’s Farewell Address

1And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king reign over you. 2And 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 to this day.

3Behold me; witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I taken a ransom, that I should hide my eyes with it? and I will restore it to you."

4And they said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from the hand of any man^a."

5And 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 he said, "He is witness."

6And Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7And now, station yourselves, that I may plead in judgment with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did with you and with your fathers.

8When Jacob came into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. 9But they forgot the LORD their God, and 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.

10And they cried out to the LORD, and said, "We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served^b the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of 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 round about, and you dwelt in safety. 12And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, "No, but a king shall reign over us"; when the LORD your God was your king.

13And now, behold the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for; and behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

14If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the mouth of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you shall be after the LORD your God— 15but if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the mouth of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD shall be against you, and against your fathers.

16Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing, which the LORD is doing before your eyes. 17Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may give thunders and rain; and know and see that your evil is great, which you have done in the eyes of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king.

18And Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD gave thunders and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we die not; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king."

20And Samuel said to the people, "Fear not; you have done all this evil; yet turn not aside from after the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21and turn not aside; for it would be after the empty things which do not profit nor deliver, for they are empty. 22For the LORD will not forsake his people, for the sake of his great name; because the LORD has been willing to make you a people for himself.

23Also as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

24Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things he has done with you. 25But if you do indeed do wickedly, both you and your king shall be swept away."