| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Samuel said to all Israel, "I have done everything you requested. I have given you a king. | 1Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. |
| 2Now look! This king walks before you. As for me, I am old and gray, though my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from the time of my youth till the present day. | 2Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. |
| 3Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the LORD and before his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, and I will return it to you!" | 3Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right." |
| 4They replied, "You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone." | 4"You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand." |
| 5He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his chosen king is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me." They said, "He is witness!" | 5Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said. |
| 6Samuel said to the people, "The LORD is the one who chose Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt. | 6Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt. |
| 7Now take your positions, so I may confront you before the LORD regarding all the LORD's just actions toward you and your ancestors. | 7Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the LORD as to all the righteous acts performed by the LORD for you and your ancestors. |
| 8When Jacob entered Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the LORD. The LORD sent Moses and Aaron, and they led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. | 8"After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the LORD for help, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. |
| 9"But they forgot the LORD their God, so he gave them into the hand of Sisera, the general in command of Hazor's army, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. | 9"But they forgot the LORD their God; so 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. |
| 10Then they cried out to the LORD and admitted, 'We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the images of Ashtoreth. Now deliver us from the hand of our enemies so that we may serve you.' | 10They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.' |
| 11So the LORD sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hand of the enemies all around you, and you were able to live securely. | 11Then the LORD sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety. |
| 12"When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, 'No! A king will rule over us'--even though the LORD your God is your king! | 12"But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us'--even though the LORD your God was your king. |
| 13Now look! Here is the king you have chosen--the one that you asked for! Look, the LORD has given you a king! | 13Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you. |
| 14If you fear the LORD, serving him and obeying him and not rebelling against what he says, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, all will be well. | 14If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God--good! |
| 15But if you don't obey the LORD and rebel against what the LORD says, the hand of the LORD will be against both you and your king. | 15But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors. |
| 16"So now, take your positions and watch this great thing that the LORD is about to do in your sight. | 16"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! |
| 17Is this not the time of the wheat harvest? I will call on the LORD so that he makes it thunder and rain. Realize and see what a great sin you have committed before the LORD by asking for a king for yourselves." | 17Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king." |
| 18So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the LORD and Samuel. | 18Then Samuel called on the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel. |
| 19All the people said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God on behalf of us--your servants--so we won't die, for we have added to all our sins by asking for a king." | 19The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king." |
| 20Then Samuel said to the people, "Don't be afraid. You have indeed sinned. However, don't turn aside from the LORD. Serve the LORD with all your heart. | 20"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. |
| 21You should not turn aside after empty things that can't profit and can't deliver, since they are empty. | 21Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. |
| 22The LORD will not abandon his people because he wants to uphold his great reputation. The LORD was pleased to make you his own people. | 22For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. |
| 23As far as I am concerned, far be it from me to sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the way that is good and upright. | 23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. |
| 24However, fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Just look at the great things he has done for you! | 24But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. |
| 25But if you continue to do evil, both you and your king will be swept away." | 25Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish." |
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