Samuel’s Farewell Address
1 Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king.
2 Your 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.
3 Now testify against me in the presence of theLordand 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.”
4 “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”
5 “TheLordand his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.”
“Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.
6 “It was theLordwho appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now stand here quietly before theLordas I remind you of all the great things theLordhas done for you and your ancestors.
8 “When the Israelites werein Egypt and cried out to theLord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land.
9 But the people soon forgot about theLordtheir 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 to theLordagain and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from theLordand worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’
11 Then theLordsent Gideon,Bedan,Jephthah, and Samuelto save you, and 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 theLordyour God was already your king.
13 All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and theLordhas granted your request.
14 “Now if you fear and worship theLordand listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against theLord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize theLordas your God.
15 But if you rebel against theLord’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 stand here and see the great thing theLordis about to do.
17 You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask theLordto send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking theLordfor a king!”
18 So Samuel called to theLord, and theLordsent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of theLordand of Samuel.
19 “Pray to theLordyour 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.”
20 “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship theLordwith all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him.
21 Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless!
22 TheLordwill not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased theLordto make you his very own people.
23 “As for me, I will certainly not sin against theLordby ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.
24 But be sure to fear theLordand faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.
25 But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/1SA/12-ecce12e441a958f2246376e434d8f44d.mp3?version_id=116—