| New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. | 1Then Samuel said to all Israel, "I have carefully listened to everything you said to me and placed a king over you. |
| 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. | 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 today. |
| 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.” | 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 whose hand have I taken a bribe to overlook something? I will return it to you." |
| 4“No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” | 4"You haven't wronged us, you haven't mistreated us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone's hand," they responded. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 6“It was the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of 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 stand here quietly before the LORD as I remind you of all the great things the LORD has done for you and your ancestors. | 7Now present yourselves, so I may confront you before the LORD about all the righteous acts He has done for you and your ancestors. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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.’ | 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 deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will serve You.' |
| 11Then the LORD sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived 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. |
| 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. | 12But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, 'No, we must have a king rule over us--even though the LORD your God is your king. |
| 13All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the LORD has granted your request. | 13"Now here is the king you've chosen, the one you requested. Look, this is the king the LORD has placed over you. |
| 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. | 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 rules over you will follow the LORD your God. |
| 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. | 15However, if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, the LORD's hand will be against you and against your ancestors. |
| 16“Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do. | 16"Now, therefore, present yourselves and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. |
| 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!” | 17Isn't the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD and He will send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great 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 were terrified of the LORD and of 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. |
| 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.” | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 21Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! | 21Don't turn away to follow worthless things that can't profit or deliver you; they are worthless. |
| 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. | 22The LORD will not abandon His people, because of His great name and because He has determined to make you His own people. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 24But be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful 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 continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.” | 25However, if you continue to do what is evil, both you and your king will be swept away." |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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