Samuel's defence
Samuel said to all Israel: I've listened to everything you asked of me and set a king over you. Now your king stands before you. I'm old and grey, and my sons are here with you. I've led you from my youth right up to this day. Here I am. Testify against me before the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey? Who have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to turn a blind eye? Say so, and I'll pay it back. They answered: You haven't cheated us or oppressed us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone. Samuel said: The Lord is witness against you today, and so is his anointed, that you've found nothing dishonest in my hands. They answered: He is witness. Samuel said to the people: The Lord is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt. Now stand here while I present the Lord's case against you by reminding you of all the righteous things he did for you and your ancestors. After Jacob entered Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord. He sent Moses and Aaron, who brought them out of Egypt and settled them in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God, so he sold them into the hands of Sisera, commander of Hazor's army, the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them. Then they cried to the Lord: We have sinned. We abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. But rescue us now from our enemies, and we will serve you. The Lord sent Jerub-Baal, Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel, and rescued you from the enemies surrounding you, so you could live in safety. Then you saw Nahash king of the Ammonites coming against you and said to me: No, we want a king to rule us — even though the Lord your God was already your king. So here is the king you chose, the one you asked for. Look, the Lord has set a king over you. If you fear the Lord, serve him, listen to him and don't rebel against his command, then you and the king who rules you will continue following the Lord your God. But if you refuse to listen to the Lord and rebel against his command, the Lord's hand will be against you, just as it was against your ancestors.
And Samuel said to all Israel: Look — I've listened to your voice in everything you said to me and have made a king over you. And now look — the king walks in front of you. And I'm old and grey-headed. And look — my sons are with you. And I've walked in front of you from my childhood right to this day. Here I am. Testify against me in front of the Lord and in front of his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or who have I cheated? Who have I crushed? Or whose hand have I taken a bribe from to blind my eyes with? And I'll give it back to you. And they said: You haven't cheated us or crushed us, and you haven't taken anything from any man's hand. And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you haven't found anything in my hand. And they answered: He's witness. And Samuel said to the people: It's the Lord who set up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. So stand still now, so I can argue with you in front of the Lord about all the righteous acts of the Lord that he did to you and to your fathers. When Jacob had come into Egypt and your fathers cried out to the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them live in this place. And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought them. And they cried out to the Lord: We've sinned, because we've left the Lord and served the Baals and Ashtaroth. But now rescue us out of the hand of the ones against us, and we'll serve you. And the Lord sent Jerub-Baal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and rescued you out of the hand of the ones against you on every side. And you lived safely. And when you saw Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon coming against you, you said to me: No, but a king will rule over us — when the Lord your God was your king. So now look at the king you've chosen and asked for. And look — the Lord has set a king over you. If you'll fear the Lord and serve him and listen to his voice and not rebel against the order of the Lord, then both you and the king who rules over you will keep following the Lord your God. But if you won't listen to the voice of the Lord but rebel against the order of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, the way it was against your fathers.
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. And 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. Behold, 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. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand. And 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. And 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. Now 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. When 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. And 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. And 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. And 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. And 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. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. If 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: But 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.
Samuel said to all Israel: I've listened to everything you asked of me and set a king over you.
And Samuel said to all Israel: Look — I've listened to your voice in everything you said to me and have made a king over you.
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.
Now your king stands before you. I'm old and grey, and my sons are here with you. I've led you from my youth right up to this day.
And now look — the king walks in front of you. And I'm old and grey-headed. And look — my sons are with you. And I've walked in front of you from my childhood right to this day.
And 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.
Here I am. Testify against me before the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey? Who have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to turn a blind eye? Say so, and I'll pay it back.
Here I am. Testify against me in front of the Lord and in front of his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or who have I cheated? Who have I crushed? Or whose hand have I taken a bribe from to blind my eyes with? And I'll give it back to you.
Behold, 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.
They answered: You haven't cheated us or oppressed us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone.
And they said: You haven't cheated us or crushed us, and you haven't taken anything from any man's hand.
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.
Samuel said: The Lord is witness against you today, and so is his anointed, that you've found nothing dishonest in my hands. They answered: He is witness.
And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you haven't found anything in my hand. And they answered: He's witness.
And 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.
Samuel said to the people: The Lord is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt.
And Samuel said to the people: It's the Lord who set up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
And 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.
Now stand here while I present the Lord's case against you by reminding you of all the righteous things he did for you and your ancestors.
So stand still now, so I can argue with you in front of the Lord about all the righteous acts of the Lord that he did to you and to your fathers.
Now 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.
After Jacob entered Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord. He sent Moses and Aaron, who brought them out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
When Jacob had come into Egypt and your fathers cried out to the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them live in this place.
When 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.
But they forgot the Lord their God, so he sold them into the hands of Sisera, commander of Hazor's army, the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.
And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought them.
And 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.
Then they cried to the Lord: We have sinned. We abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. But rescue us now from our enemies, and we will serve you.
And they cried out to the Lord: We've sinned, because we've left the Lord and served the Baals and Ashtaroth. But now rescue us out of the hand of the ones against us, and we'll serve you.
And 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.
The Lord sent Jerub-Baal, Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel, and rescued you from the enemies surrounding you, so you could live in safety.
And the Lord sent Jerub-Baal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and rescued you out of the hand of the ones against you on every side. And you lived safely.
And 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.
Then you saw Nahash king of the Ammonites coming against you and said to me: No, we want a king to rule us — even though the Lord your God was already your king.
And when you saw Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon coming against you, you said to me: No, but a king will rule over us — when the Lord your God was your king.
And 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.
So here is the king you chose, the one you asked for. Look, the Lord has set a king over you.
So now look at the king you've chosen and asked for. And look — the Lord has set a king over you.
Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
If you fear the Lord, serve him, listen to him and don't rebel against his command, then you and the king who rules you will continue following the Lord your God.
If you'll fear the Lord and serve him and listen to his voice and not rebel against the order of the Lord, then both you and the king who rules over you will keep following the Lord your God.
If 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:
But if you refuse to listen to the Lord and rebel against his command, the Lord's hand will be against you, just as it was against your ancestors.
But if you won't listen to the voice of the Lord but rebel against the order of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, the way it was against your fathers.
But 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.
Thunder and rain
Now stand still and watch the great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes. Isn't this wheat harvest? I'll call on the Lord, and he'll send thunder and rain. Then you'll see just how great the evil was when you asked the Lord for a king. Samuel called on the Lord, and that day the Lord sent thunder and rain. The people were filled with fear of the Lord and of Samuel. The people said to Samuel: Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so we don't die. We've added this evil of asking for a king to all our other sins. Samuel said: Don't be afraid. You've done all this evil, yes — but don't turn away from the Lord. Serve him with all your heart. Don't wander off after empty things that can't help or rescue you, because they're nothing. For the sake of his great name, the Lord will not abandon his people, because he was pleased to make you his own. As for me, I would never sin against the Lord by stopping my prayers for you. I'll keep teaching you the good and right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Remember what great things he has done for you. But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.
So stand still now and see this great thing the Lord will do in front of your eyes. Isn't it wheat harvest today? I'll call to the Lord, and he'll send thunder and rain, so you can see and know that your wickedness is great, that you've done in the sight of the Lord in asking for a king. So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were badly frightened of the Lord and of Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, so we don't die. Because we've added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king. And Samuel said to the people: Don't be frightened. You've done all this wickedness. But don't turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And don't turn aside. Because then you'd go after empty things that can't do any good or rescue, because they're empty. Because the Lord won't leave his people, for his great name's sake. Because it's pleased the Lord to make you his people. What's more, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord by stopping praying for you. But I'll teach you the good and right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart. Because look at the great things he's done for you. But if you keep doing wickedly, you'll be finished, both you and your king.
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. Is 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. So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. And 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. And 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; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. Moreover 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: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
Now stand still and watch the great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.
So stand still now and see this great thing the Lord will do in front of your eyes.
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
Isn't this wheat harvest? I'll call on the Lord, and he'll send thunder and rain. Then you'll see just how great the evil was when you asked the Lord for a king.
Isn't it wheat harvest today? I'll call to the Lord, and he'll send thunder and rain, so you can see and know that your wickedness is great, that you've done in the sight of the Lord in asking for a king.
Is 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.
Samuel called on the Lord, and that day the Lord sent thunder and rain. The people were filled with fear of the Lord and of Samuel.
So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were badly frightened of the Lord and of Samuel.
So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
The people said to Samuel: Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so we don't die. We've added this evil of asking for a king to all our other sins.
And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, so we don't die. Because we've added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.
And 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.
Samuel said: Don't be afraid. You've done all this evil, yes — but don't turn away from the Lord. Serve him with all your heart.
And Samuel said to the people: Don't be frightened. You've done all this wickedness. But don't turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
And 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;
Don't wander off after empty things that can't help or rescue you, because they're nothing.
And don't turn aside. Because then you'd go after empty things that can't do any good or rescue, because they're empty.
And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
For the sake of his great name, the Lord will not abandon his people, because he was pleased to make you his own.
Because the Lord won't leave his people, for his great name's sake. Because it's pleased the Lord to make you his people.
For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
As for me, I would never sin against the Lord by stopping my prayers for you. I'll keep teaching you the good and right way.
What's more, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord by stopping praying for you. But I'll teach you the good and right way.
Moreover 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:
Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Remember what great things he has done for you.
Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart. Because look at the great things he's done for you.
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.
But if you keep doing wickedly, you'll be finished, both you and your king.
But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.