| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. | 1Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king. |
| 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. | 2Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. |
| 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." | 3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” |
| 4"You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand." | 4“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.” |
| 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. | 5Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied. |
| 6Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt. | 6Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. |
| 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. | 7Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers. |
| 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. | 8When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. |
| 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. | 9But they forgot the LORD their God, and 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. |
| 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.' | 10Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’ |
| 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. | 11So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely. |
| 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. | 12But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. |
| 13Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you. | 13Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you. |
| 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! | 14If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well. |
| 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. | 15But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers. |
| 16"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! | 16Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. |
| 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." | 17Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.” |
| 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. | 18So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. |
| 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." | 19They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD 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.” |
| 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. | 20“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. |
| 21Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. | 21Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty. |
| 22For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. | 22Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own. |
| 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. | 23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way. |
| 24But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. | 24Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you. |
| 25Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish." | 25But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” |
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