1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel Chapter 12 KJV

1Samuel calleth upon the people, and receiveth from them an ample justification of his integrity. 6He chargeth them with ingratitude in rejecting God's government, and warneth them against future disobedience. To convince them of their offence in asking a king, 18he calleth for thunder and rain in the time of harvest to their great dismay; 20but encourageth them with the assurance of divine favour, if they will but fear the Lord, and serve him heartily.
1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have 1hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
2 And now, behold, the king 1walketh before you: and 2I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before 1his anointed: 2whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or 3of whose hand have I received any abribe bto blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
4 And they said, 1Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
5 And he said unto them, 1The Lord is witness against you, and 2his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
6 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord 1that aadvanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I 1may reason with you before the Lord of all the arighteous acts of the Lord, which he did to you and bto your fathers.
8 When 1Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers 2cried unto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
9 And 1when they forgat the Lord their God, 2he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of 3the Philistines, and into the hand of the king 4of Moab, and they fought against them.
10 And 1they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, 2and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 And the 1Lord sent 2Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and 3Jephthah, and 4Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
12 And 1when ye saw that 2Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, 3ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when 4the Lord your God was 5your king.
13 Now therefore 1behold the king 2whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you.
14 If 1ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the acommandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you bcontinue following the Lord your God:
15 But 1if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall 2the hand of the Lord be against you, 3as it was against your fathers.
16 ¶ Now therefore 1stand and see this 2great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes.
17 is it 1not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see 2that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king.
18 So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent 1thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly 2feared the Lord and Samuel.
19 And 1all the people said unto Samuel, 2Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
20 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: 1yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after 1vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
22 For 1the Lord will not forsake his people 2for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the Lord 3to make you his people.
23 Moreover as for me, 1God forbid that I should sin against the Lord ain ceasing to pray for you: but I will 2teach you the good and the right way:
24 Only 1fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for 2consider ahow great things he hath done for you.
25 But 1if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
1 Samuel 12