| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now Samuel said to all Israel: “Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. | 1Then Samuel said to all Israel, "I have carefully listened to everything you said to me and placed a king over you. |
| 2And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. | 2Now you can see that the king is leading you. As for me, I'm old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from my youth until now. |
| 3Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.” | 3Here I am. Bring charges against me before the LORD and his anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged or mistreated? From whom have I accepted a bribe to overlook something? I will return it to you." |
| 4And they said, “You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.” | 4"You haven't wronged us, you haven't mistreated us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone," they responded. |
| 5Then he said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.” | 5He said to them, "The LORD is a witness against you, and his anointed is a witness today that you haven't found anything in my hand." "He is a witness," they said. |
| 6Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. | 6Then Samuel said to the people, "The LORD, who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt, is a witness. |
| 7Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers: | 7Now present yourselves, so I may confront you before the LORD about all the righteous acts he has done for you and your ancestors. |
| 8When Jacob had gone 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 dwell in this place. | 8"When Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the LORD, and he sent them Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. |
| 9And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. | 9But they forgot the LORD their God, so he handed them over to Sisera commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab. These enemies fought against them. |
| 10Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ | 10Then they cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned, for we abandoned the LORD and worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Now rescue us from the power of our enemies, and we will serve you.' |
| 11And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. | 11So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel. He rescued you from the power of the enemies around you, and you lived securely. |
| 12And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD your God was your king. | 12But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, 'No, we must have a king reign over us'--even though the LORD your God is your king. |
| 13“Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. | 13"Now here is the king you've chosen, the one you requested. Look, this is the king the LORD has placed over you. |
| 14If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. | 14If you fear the LORD, worship and obey him, and if you don't rebel against the LORD's command, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God. |
| 15However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers. | 15However, if you disobey the LORD and rebel against his command, the LORD's hand will be against you as it was against your ancestors. |
| 16“Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes: | 16"Now, therefore, present yourselves and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. |
| 17Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves.” | 17Isn't the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain so that you will recognize what an immense evil you committed in the LORD's sight by requesting a king for yourselves." |
| 18So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. | 18Samuel called on the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. |
| 19And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.” | 19They pleaded with Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so we won't die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of requesting a king for ourselves." |
| 20Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. | 20Samuel replied, "Don't be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don't turn away from following the LORD. Instead, worship the LORD with all your heart. |
| 21And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. | 21Don't turn away to follow worthless things that can't profit or rescue you; they are worthless. |
| 22For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. | 22The LORD will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people. |
| 23Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. | 23"As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way. |
| 24Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. | 24Above all, fear the LORD and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you. |
| 25But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.” | 25However, if you continue to do what is evil, both you and your king will be swept away." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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