1 Samuel
Chapter 12
1 Samuel told all of Israel, “Look, I have listened to what you said to me, and I have made a king for you.”
2 Now look, the king leads you. I am old with gray hair, and my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until now.
3 Look, I am here: speak against me before God, and his chosen leader: Which ox or donkey have I taken? Who have I cheated or treated unfairly? From whom have I taken a bribe to look the other way? Tell me and I will give it back.
4 They said, “You have not cheated or mistreated us, nor have you taken anything from anyone.”
5 He told them, “God is your witness, and his chosen one is also a witness today, that you found nothing wrong in what I’ve done.” And they replied, “He is our witness.”
6 Samuel told the people, “It is God who promoted Moses and Aaron, and who led your ancestors out of Egypt.”
7 Now stand still so I can tell you about all the good things God did for you and your ancestors.
8 When Jacob arrived in Egypt, and your ancestors called out to God, then God sent Moses and Aaron who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them here.
9 When they forgot God, he let Sisera, the army leader of Hazor, the Philistines, and the king of Moab capture them and fight against them.
10 They called out to God, saying, “We have sinned by leaving God and serving Baal and Ashtaroth. Now save us from our enemies, and we will serve you.”
11 God sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and saved you from your enemies all around, and you lived in safety.
12 When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was attacking, you told me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us,’ even though God was already your king.
13 Now see the king you chose and wanted! God has made him your king.
14 If you respect God, serve Him, listen to His words, and don’t disobey His commands, then both you and the king who rules over you will keep on following God.
15 But if you don’t listen to God’s voice and disobey His command, then God will be against you, just as He was against your ancestors.
16 Now stand and watch this amazing thing that God will do before you.
17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to God, and he will make thunder and rain come; so you will realize and see how bad your wrongdoings are, which you did before God by asking for a king.
18 So Samuel prayed to God, and God made thunder and rain that day; and all the people were very afraid of God and Samuel.
19 And all the people told Samuel, “Pray for us to God that we don’t die, because we have made our sins worse by asking for a king.”
20 Samuel told the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have done wrong, but do not stop following God. Instead, serve God with all your heart.”
21 Do not turn away: if you do, you will chase worthless things that cannot help or save you, because they are useless.
22 God will not abandon his people for the sake of his great name: because it has pleased God to make you his people.
23 Also, I would never sin against God by stopping my prayers for you. Instead, I will show you the good and right way to live.
24 Only be afraid of God, and serve Him honestly with all your heart: for think about the amazing things He has done for you.
25 If you keep doing bad things, you and your king will be destroyed.