Samuel’s Address at Saul’s Coronation

1And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your^p voice in all that you^p said to me, and have made a king over you^p.   listened

2And now, behold, the king walks before you^p: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you^p: and I have walked before you^p from my childhood to this day.

3Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before His anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind my eyes therewith? and I will restore it you^p.

4And they said, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man’s hand.

5And he said to them, The Lord is witness against you^p, and His anointed is witness this day, that you^p have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

6And Samuel said to the people, It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your^p fathers up out of the land of Egypt.   appointed

7Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you^p before the Lord of all the righteous acts of the Lord, which He did to you^p and to your^p fathers.

8When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your^p fathers cried to the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your^p fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

9And when they forgot the Lord their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.   let them be slaves

10And they cried to the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.

11And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you^p out of the hand of your^p enemies on every side, and you^p dwelled safe.

12And when you^p saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you^p, you^p said to me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your^p God was your^p king.

13Now therefore behold the king whom you^p have chosen, and whom you^p have desired! and, behold, the Lord has set a king over you^p.

14If you^p will fear the Lord, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both you^p and also the king that reigns over you^p continue following the Lord your^p God:   obeying

15But if you^p will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you^p, as it was against your^p fathers.

16Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your^p eyes.

17Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the Lord, and He shall send thunder and rain; that you^p may perceive and see that your^p wickedness is great, which you^p have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you^p a king.

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.

19And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we die not: for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

20And Samuel said to the people, Fear not: you^p have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your^p heart;

21And turn you^p not aside: for then should you^p go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

22For the Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake: because it has pleased the Lord to make you^p His people.   ROM 11:1

23Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you^p: but I will teach you^p the good and the right way:

24Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your^p heart: for consider how great things He has done for you^p.

25But if you^p shall still do wickedly, you^p shall be consumed, both you^p and your^p king.   destroyed