1 Samuel 12
NLT Parallel NIV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]
New Living TranslationNew International Version
1Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king.1Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set 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 have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.
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 stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right."
4“No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”4"You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."
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.5Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is 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, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt.
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 then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the LORD as to all the righteous acts performed by the LORD 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"After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the LORD for help, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought 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.9"But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who 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.’10They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands 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.11Then the LORD sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.
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.12"But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us'--even though the LORD your God was your king.
13All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the LORD has granted your request.13Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king 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 and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God--good!
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.15But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.
16“Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do.16"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to 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!”17Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king."
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.18Then Samuel called on the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of 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.”19The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."
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.20"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless!21Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.
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.22For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.
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.23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
24But be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.24But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
25But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”25Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish."
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.New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

1 Samuel 11
Top of Page
Top of Page