1 Samuel 12 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Samuel Addresses Israel

1 Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478, “Behold ^H2009, I have listened ^H8085 to your voice ^H6963 for all ^H3605 that you said ^H559 to me, and I have appointed ^H4427 a king ^H4428 over ^H5921 you.

2 Now ^H6258, here ^H2009 is the king ^H4428 walking ^H1980 before ^H6440 you, but as for me, I am ^H2204 old ^H2204 and gray ^H7867, and my sons ^H1121 are here ^H2009 with you. And I have walked ^H1980 before ^H6440 you since ^H4480 my youth ^H5271 to this ^H2088 day ^H3117. 3 Here ^H2009 I am; testify ^H6030 against me before ^H5048 the LORD ^H3068 and His anointed ^H4899. Whose ^H4310 ox ^H7794 have I taken ^H3947, or whose ^H4310 donkey ^H2543 have I taken ^H3947, or whom ^H4310 have I exploited ^H6231? Whom ^H4310 have I oppressed ^H7533, or from whose ^H4310 hand ^H3027 have I taken ^H3947 a bribe ^H3724 to close ^H5956 my eyes ^H5869 with it? I will return ^H7725 it to you.” 4 And they said ^H559, “You have not exploited ^H6231 us or oppressed ^H7533 us, or taken ^H3947 anything ^H3972 from anyone’s ^H376 hand ^H3027.” 5 So he said ^H559 to them, “The LORD ^H3068 is witness ^H5707 against you, and His anointed ^H4899 is witness ^H5707 this ^H2088 day ^H3117 that you have found ^H4672 nothing ^H3808 H3972 in my hand ^H3027.” And they said ^H559, “He is witness ^H5707.”

6 Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to the people ^H5971, “It is the LORD ^H3068 who ^H834 [fn]appointed ^H6213 Moses ^H4872 and Aaron ^H175 and who ^H834 brought ^H5927 your fathers ^H1 up ^H5927 from the land ^H776 of Egypt ^H4714. 7 Now ^H6258 then, take ^H3320 your stand ^H3320, so that I may enter ^H8199 into ^H8199 judgment ^H8199 with you before ^H6440 the LORD ^H3068 concerning ^H854 all ^H3605 the righteous ^H6666 acts ^H6666 of the LORD ^H3068 that He did ^H6213 for you and your fathers ^H1. 8 When ^H834 Jacob ^H3290 went ^H935 into Egypt ^H4714 and your fathers ^H1 cried ^H2199 out ^H2199 to the LORD ^H3068, then the LORD ^H3068 sent ^H7971 Moses ^H4872 and Aaron ^H175 [fn]who brought ^H3318 your fathers ^H1 out ^H3318 of Egypt ^H4714 and settled ^H3427 them in this ^H2088 place ^H4725. 9 But they forgot ^H7911 the LORD ^H3068 their God ^H430, so He sold ^H4376 them into the hand ^H3027 of Sisera ^H5516, commander ^H8269 of the army ^H6635 of Hazor ^H2674, and into the hand ^H3027 of the Philistines ^H6430, and into the hand ^H3027 of the king ^H4428 of Moab ^H4124, and they fought ^H3898 against them. 10 They cried ^H2199 out ^H2199 to the LORD ^H3068 and said ^H559, ‘We have sinned ^H2398, because ^H3588 we have abandoned ^H5800 the LORD ^H3068 and have served ^H5647 the Baals ^H1168 and the Ashtaroth ^H6252; but now ^H6258 save ^H5337 us from the hands ^H3027 of our enemies ^H340, and we will serve ^H5647 You.’ 11 Then the LORD ^H3068 sent ^H7971 Jerubbaal ^H3378, [fn]Bedan ^H917, Jephthah ^H3316, and Samuel ^H8050, and saved ^H5337 you from the hands ^H3027 of your enemies ^H340 all ^H4480 H5439 around ^H5439, so that you lived ^H3427 in security ^H983.

The King Confirmed

12 But when you saw ^H7200 that Nahash ^H5176 the king ^H4428 of the sons ^H1121 of Ammon ^H5983 was coming ^H935 against ^H5921 you, you said ^H559 to me, ‘No ^H3808, but a king ^H4428 shall reign ^H4427 over ^H5921 us!’ Yet the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430 was your king ^H4428. 13 And now ^H6258, behold ^H2009, the king ^H4428 whom ^H4310 you have chosen ^H977, whom ^H4310 you have asked ^H7592 for, and behold ^H2009, the LORD ^H3068 has [fn]put ^H5414 a king ^H4428 over ^H5921 you. 14 If ^H518 you will fear ^H3372 the LORD ^H3068 and serve ^H5647 Him, and listen ^H8085 to His voice ^H6963 and not rebel ^H4784 against ^H854 the [fn]command ^H6310 of the LORD ^H3068, then both ^H1571 you and the king ^H4428 who ^H834 reigns ^H4427 over ^H5921 you will follow ^H1961 H310 the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430. 15 But if ^H518 you do not listen ^H8085 to the voice ^H6963 of the LORD ^H3068, but rebel ^H4784 against ^H854 the [fn]command ^H6310 of the LORD ^H3068, then the hand ^H3027 of the LORD ^H3068 will be against you, even as it was against your fathers ^H1. 16 Even ^H1571 now ^H6258, take ^H3320 your stand ^H3320 and see ^H7200 this ^H2088 great ^H1419 thing ^H1697 which ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 is going to do ^H6213 before your eyes ^H5869. 17 Is it not the wheat ^H2406 harvest ^H7105 today ^H3117? I will call ^H7121 to the LORD ^H3068, that He will send ^H5414 [fn]thunder ^H6963 and rain ^H4306. Then you will know ^H3045 and see ^H7200 that your wickedness ^H7451 is great ^H7227 which ^H834 you have done ^H6213 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD ^H3068, by asking ^H7592 for yourselves a king ^H4428.” 18 So Samuel ^H8050 called ^H7121 to the LORD ^H3068, and the LORD ^H3068 sent ^H5414 [fn]thunder ^H6963 and rain ^H4306 that day ^H3117; and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 greatly ^H3966 feared ^H3372 the LORD ^H3068 and Samuel ^H8050.

19 Then all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “Pray ^H6419 to the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430 for your servants ^H5650, so that we do not die ^H4191; for we have added ^H3254 to all ^H3605 our sins ^H2403 this evil ^H7451, by asking ^H7592 for ourselves a king ^H4428.” 20 Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to the people ^H5971, “Do not fear ^H3372. You have committed ^H6213 all ^H3605 this ^H2088 evil ^H7451, yet ^H389 do not turn ^H5493 aside ^H5493 from following ^H310 the LORD ^H3068, but serve ^H5647 the LORD ^H3068 with all ^H3605 your heart ^H3824. 21 Indeed, you must not turn ^H5493 aside ^H5493, for then you would go after ^H310 useless ^H8414 things ^H8414 which ^H834 cannot benefit ^H3276 or save ^H5337, because ^H3588 they are useless ^H8414. 22 For the LORD ^H3068 will not abandon ^H5203 His people ^H5971 on account ^H5668 of His great ^H1419 name ^H8034, because ^H3588 the LORD ^H3068 has been pleased ^H2974 to make ^H6213 you a people ^H5971 for Himself. 23 Furthermore ^H1571, as for me, far ^H2486 be it from me that I would sin ^H2398 against the LORD ^H3068 by ceasing ^H2308 to pray ^H6419 for you; but I will instruct ^H3384 you in the good ^H2896 and right ^H3477 way ^H1870. 24 Only ^H389 [fn]fear ^H3372 the LORD ^H3068 and serve ^H5647 Him in truth ^H571 with all ^H3605 your heart ^H3824; for consider ^H7200 what ^H834 great ^H1431 things ^H1431 He has done ^H1431 for you. 25 But if ^H518 you still ^H7489 do ^H7489 evil ^H7489, both ^H1571 you and your king ^H4428 will be swept ^H5595 away ^H5595.”