# 1 Samuel 12

> Lumin Translation

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-samuel/12

Lumin’s own translation, drafted with AI from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, checked verse by verse against them, and approved by Lumin. Brackets mark verses not found in the earliest manuscripts.

How it was made: https://www.lumin.faith/lumin-translation.md

1. Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to you in everything you said to me, and I have set a king over you.
2. Now here is the king, who will lead you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from my youth until this day.
3. Here I am. Testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whom have I taken a bribe to make me look the other way? If I have, I will pay it back to you.”
4. They answered, “You have not cheated us or oppressed us, and you have not taken anything from anyone.”
5. He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is witness,” they said.
6. Then Samuel said to the people, “Yahweh is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of the land of Egypt.
7. Now then, stand here, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts that Yahweh has done for you and for your ancestors.
8. When Jacob went into Egypt, your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
9. But they forgot Yahweh their God, so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and of the king of Moab, who fought against them.
10. Then they cried out to Yahweh and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now rescue us from the power of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
11. So Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and he rescued you from the power of your enemies on every side, so that you lived in safety.
12. But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to reign over us’—even though Yahweh your God was your king.
13. Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, Yahweh has set a king over you.
14. If you fear Yahweh and serve him and obey his voice and do not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be following Yahweh your God.
15. But if you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, and you rebel against the command of Yahweh, then the hand of Yahweh will be against you and your ancestors.
16. Now then, stand still and see this great thing that Yahweh is about to do before your eyes.
17. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on Yahweh, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will realize and see how great a wrong you have done in the sight of Yahweh by asking for a king for yourselves.”
18. So Samuel called on Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. All the people stood in great awe of Yahweh and of Samuel.
19. All the people said to Samuel, “Pray to Yahweh your God for your servants, so that we will not die, for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king for ourselves.”
20. Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.
21. Do not turn aside, for then you would be going after empty things that cannot help or rescue, because they are empty.
22. For the sake of his great name Yahweh will not abandon his people, because Yahweh has been pleased to make you his own people.
23. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the way that is good and right.
24. Only fear Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Consider what great things he has done for you.
25. But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

## Nearby chapters

[1 Samuel 11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-samuel/11.md)
[1 Samuel 13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-samuel/13.md)

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