| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king. | 1Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. |
| 2Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. | 2Your king is now your leader. I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. |
| 3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” | 3Now testify against me in the presence of the LORD and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.” |
| 4“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.” | 4“No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” |
| 5Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied. | 5“The LORD and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.” “Yes, he is a witness,” they replied. |
| 6Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. | 6“It was the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt. |
| 7Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers. | 7Now stand here quietly before the LORD as I remind you of all the great things the LORD has done for you and your ancestors. |
| 8When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. | 8“When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the LORD, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land. |
| 9But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them. | 9But the people soon forgot about the LORD their God, so he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor’s army, and also to the Philistines and to the king of Moab, who fought against them. |
| 10Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’ | 10“Then they cried to the LORD again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the LORD and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ |
| 11So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely. | 11Then the LORD sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety. |
| 12But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. | 12“But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the LORD your God was already your king. |
| 13Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you. | 13All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the LORD has granted your request. |
| 14If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well. | 14“Now if you fear and worship the LORD and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the LORD’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the LORD as your God. |
| 15But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers. | 15But if you rebel against the LORD’s commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors. |
| 16Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. | 16“Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do. |
| 17Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.” | 17You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the LORD to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the LORD for a king!” |
| 18So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. | 18So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the LORD and of Samuel. |
| 19They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.” | 19“Pray to the LORD your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.” |
| 20“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. | 20“Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the LORD with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. |
| 21Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty. | 21Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! |
| 22Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own. | 22The LORD will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the LORD to make you his very own people. |
| 23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way. | 23“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the LORD by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right. |
| 24Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you. | 24But be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. |
| 25But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” | 25But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.” |
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