| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Then Samuel told all Israel, "Take note! I've listened to you, to everything you have told me, and I've appointed a king over you. | 1Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. |
| 2Now here is the king walking before you, while I'm old and gray, and my sons are with you. I've walked before you from my youth until this day. | 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. |
| 3Here I am. Testify against me in the LORD's presence and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken? Who have I cheated? Who have I oppressed? Who bribed me to look the other way? I'll restore it to you." | 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.” |
| 4They said, "You haven't cheated us or oppressed us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone's hand." | 4“No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” |
| 5He told them, "Today the LORD is testifying, along with his anointed, that you haven't found any bribes in my possession." They said, "He's a witness." | 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. |
| 6Then Samuel told the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up out of the land of Egypt. | 6“It was the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt. |
| 7Now stand up and I'll pass judgment on you in light of the LORD's righteous acts that he did for you and your ancestors. | 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. |
| 8After Jacob went to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to the LORD, he sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. | 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. |
| 9But they forgot the LORD their God, so he handed them over to the domination of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into domination by the Philistines and by the king of Moab, and Israel fought against them. | 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. |
| 10"Then they cried out to the LORD: 'We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. Now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.' | 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.’ |
| 11Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel and he delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, so that you lived securely. | 11Then the LORD sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety. |
| 12But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was coming to fight you, you told me, 'No, let a king rule over us instead,' even though the LORD your God was your king. | 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. |
| 13"Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one whom you asked for. See, the Lord has appointed a king over you. | 13All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the LORD has granted your request. |
| 14If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey him, and don't rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who rules over you will truly follow the LORD your God. | 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. |
| 15But if you don't obey the LORD and rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD will turn against you as he did against your ancestors. | 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. |
| 16"Now then, stand up and see this great thing that the LORD is about to do before your eyes. | 16“Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do. |
| 17Is it not the wheat harvest today? I'll call upon the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and understand that you have done a great evil in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king for yourselves." | 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!” |
| 18Samuel called upon the LORD that same day, and the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. | 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. |
| 19Then all the people told Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we don't die, because we made all our sins worse by asking for a king for ourselves." | 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.” |
| 20Samuel told all the people, "Don't be afraid. You have done all this evil. Yet don't turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. | 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. |
| 21Don't turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or deliver because they're useless. | 21Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! |
| 22Indeed, the LORD won't abandon His people for the sake of His great name, for the LORD desires to make you a people for himself. | 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. |
| 23Now as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. I'll also instruct you in the way that is good and right. | 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. |
| 24Only, fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Indeed, consider what great things he has done for you. | 24But be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. |
| 25But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away." | 25But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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. |
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