1Samuel:12

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* Now 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 . * And 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 . * Here 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 ." * And they said , "You have not cheated us or oppressed us , nor have you taken anything from any man 's hand ." * Then 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 ." * Then 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 . * Now 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 : * When 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 . * And 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 . * Then 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 .' * And 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 . * And 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 . * "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 . * If 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 . * However , 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 . * "Now therefore , stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes : * Is 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 ." * So Samuel called to 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 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 ." * Then 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 . * And do not turn aside ; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver , for they are nothing . * For the LORD will not forsake His people , for His great name 's sake , because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people . * Moreover , 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 . * Only fear the LORD , and serve Him in truth with all your heart ; for consider what great things He has done for you . * But if you still do wickedly , you shall be swept away , both you and your king ."

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