Samuel’s Farewell Address

1And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your⁺ voice in all that you⁺ said to me, and I have made reign over you⁺ a king. 2And here is the king, walking before you⁺, and I am old and have become gray. And my sons, behold, are with you⁺, and I have walked before you⁺ from my childhood to this day.

3Behold, witness against me before YHWH and before His anointed. The ox of whom have I taken? Or the donkey of whom have I taken? Or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? Or from the hand of whom have I received a bribe and hidden my eyes with it? And I will restore it† to you⁺.”

4And they said, “You have not oppressed us and you have not crushed us, and you have not taken anything from the hand of man.”

5And he said to them, “YHWH is witness against you⁺, and His anointed is witness this day, that you⁺ have not found anything in my hand.”

And he said, “Witness.”

6And Samuel said to the people, “YHWH is He who† made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your⁺ fathers from the land of Egypt. 7And now station yourselves, and I will judge with you⁺ before the face of YHWH concerning all the righteous acts of YHWH that He did for you⁺ for you your⁺ fathers.

8When Jacob had gone into Egypt,† then your⁺ fathers cried out to YHWH, and YHWH sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought out your⁺ fathers from Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9And they forgot YHWH their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera commander of the army of Hazor,† and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them.

10And they cried out to YHWH and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken YHWH and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Now snatch us up from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’

11And YHWH sent Jerubbaal,† and Barak,† and Jephthah, and Samuel,† and He snatched you⁺ up out of the hand of your⁺ enemies on every side, and you⁺ dwelt in safety. 12And you⁺ saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you⁺, and you⁺ said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us’—when YHWH your⁺ God was your⁺ king.

13And now here is the king whom you⁺ have chosen and whom you⁺ have desired. And behold, YHWH has set over you⁺ a king.

14If you⁺ fear YHWH, and serve Him, and listen to His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of YHWH, then you⁺ will be well—both you⁺ and the king who reigns over you⁺ after YHWH your⁺ God! 15But if you⁺ do not listen to the voice of YHWH and rebel against the commandment of YHWH, then the hand of YHWH will be against you⁺ as against your⁺ fathers.†

16Therefore now stand and see this great thing that YHWH will do before your⁺ eyes. 17Is it not the harvest of wheat this day? I will call to YHWH, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your⁺ wickedness is great, which you⁺ have done in the eyes of YHWH in asking for yourselves a king.”

18And Samuel called to YHWH, and YHWH sent thunder and rain that day.

And all the people greatly feared YHWH and Samuel. 19And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to YHWH your God, that we may not die. For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for ourselves a king.”

20And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You⁺ have done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following YHWH, and serve YHWH with all your⁺ heart. 21And do not turn aside as though after the empty things that do not profit and do not deliver; for they are nothing. 22For YHWH will not forsake His people for the sake of His great name, because it has pleased YHWH to make you⁺ unto Him a people.

23As for me, moreover, far be it from me that I should sin against YHWH in ceasing to pray for you⁺. And I will teach you⁺ the good and the straight way.

24Only fear YHWH and serve Him in truth with all your⁺ heart; for consider that which He has made great with you⁺. 25But if you⁺ persist in doing evil, both you⁺ and your⁺ king will be swept away.”