1
And Shemu’el said to all Yisra’el, “See, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and I have set a king over you.
2
And now, see, the king walks before your face. And I am old and gray, and see, my sons are with you. And I have walked before your face from my youth until this day.
3
Here I am. Answer against me before Yahuah and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I crushed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? And I will return it to you.”
4
And they said, “You have not oppressed us, and you have not crushed us, and you have not taken anything from the hand of any ish.”
5
And he said to them, “Yahuah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”
6
And Shemu’el said to the people, “Yahuah is the One who appointed Mosheh and Aharon, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Mitzrayim.
7
And now, stand, and I will contend with you before Yahuah concerning all the righteous acts of Yahuah that He did with you and with your fathers.
8
When Yaaqov came to Mitzrayim, and your fathers cried out to Yahuah, Yahuah sent Mosheh and Aharon, and they brought your fathers out from Mitzrayim and caused them to dwell in this place.
9
But they forgot Yahuah their Elohim, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the host of Chatzor, and into the hand of the Pelishtim, and into the hand of the king of Moav, and they fought against them.
10
And they cried out to Yahuah and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahuah and served the Baalim and the Ashtarot. And now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’
11
And Yahuah sent Yerubbaal, and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shemu’el, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you dwelt securely.
12
And when you saw that Nachash king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ though Yahuah your Elohim was your King.
13
And now, see the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for. And see, Yahuah has set a king over you.
14
If you fear Yahuah and serve Him and listen to His voice, and do not rebel against the mouth of Yahuah, then both you and the king who reigns over you shall follow Yahuah your Elohim.
15
But if you do not listen to the voice of Yahuah and rebel against the mouth of Yahuah, then the hand of Yahuah shall be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16
And now, stand and see this great thing that Yahuah is doing before your eyes.
17
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahuah, and He will give voices and rain. And know and see that your evil is great, which you have done in the eyes of Yahuah by asking for yourselves a king.”
18
And Shemu’el called to Yahuah, and Yahuah gave voices and rain on that day. And all the people feared Yahuah and Shemu’el exceedingly.
19
And all the people said to Shemu’el, “Pray for your servants to Yahuah your Elohim, that we do not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.”
20
And Shemu’el said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this evil; only do not turn aside from following Yahuah, but serve Yahuah with all your heart.
21
And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit and cannot deliver, for they are empty.
22
For Yahuah will not forsake His people for the sake of His great name, because Yahuah desired to make you a people for Himself.
23
Also as for me, far be it from me to sin against Yahuah by ceasing to pray for you. And I will teach you the good and straight way.
24
Only fear Yahuah and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for see what great things He has done with you.
25
But if doing evil, you continue to do evil, both you and your king shall be swept away.”