1. And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

2. And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

3. Behold, here I: witness against me before יְהוָ֥ה, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

4. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

5. And he said unto them, יְהוָ֥ה witness against you, and his anointed witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, witness.

6. And Samuel said unto the people, יְהוָ֥ה that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before יְהוָ֥ה of all the righteous acts of יְהוָ֥ה, which he did to you and to your fathers.

8. When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto יְהוָ֥ה, then יְהוָ֥ה sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

9. And when they forgat יְהוָ֥ה their Elohim, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10. And they cried unto יְהוָ֥ה, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken יְהוָ֥ה, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11. And יְהוָ֥ה sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

12. And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when יְהוָ֥ה your Elohim your king.

13. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, whom ye have desired! and, behold, יְהוָ֥ה hath set a king over you.

14. If ye will fear יְהוָ֥ה, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of יְהוָ֥ה, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following יְהוָ֥ה your Elohim:

15. But if ye will not obey the voice of יְהוָ֥ה, but rebel against the commandment of יְהוָ֥ה, then shall the hand of יְהוָ֥ה be against you, as against your fathers.

16. Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which יְהוָ֥ה will do before your eyes.

17. not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto יְהוָ֥ה, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness great, which ye have done in the sight of יְהוָ֥ה, in asking you a king.

18. So Samuel called unto יְהוָ֥ה; and יְהוָ֥ה sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared יְהוָ֥ה and Samuel.

19. And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto יְהוָ֥ה thy Elohim, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins evil, to ask us a king.

20. And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following יְהוָ֥ה, but serve יְהוָ֥ה with all your heart;

21. And turn ye not aside: for after vain, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they vain.

22. For יְהוָ֥ה will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased יְהוָ֥ה to make you his people.

23. Moreover as for me, Elohim forbid that I should sin against יְהוָ֥ה in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

24. Only fear יְהוָ֥ה, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great he hath done for you.

25. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.