1 Samuel 12

Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 3Here I am: witness against me before Allah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you. 4They said, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from any man’s hand. 5He said to them, Allah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, He is witness. 6Samuel said to the people, It is Allah who appointed Musa and Harun, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Allah concerning all the righteous acts of Allah, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8When Yaqub was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Allah, then Allah sent Musa and Harun, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9But they forgot Allah their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain 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. 10They cried to Allah, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Allah, and have worshiped the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will worship you. 11Allah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. 12When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us; when Allah your God was your king. 13Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and, behold, Allah has set a king over you. 14If you fear Allah, and worship him, and listen to his voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of Allah, and both you and your king are followers of Allah your God, good: 15but if you do not listen to the voice of Allah, but rebel against the commandment of Allah, then the hand of Allah will be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Allah will do before your eyes. 17Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Allah, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Allah, in asking for a king. 18So Samuel called to Allah; and Allah sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people became terrified of Allah and Samuel. 19They all said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Allah your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil of asking for a king. 20Samuel said to the people, Do not be afraid; you have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following Allah, but worship Allah with all your heart: 21and do not turn aside; for then you would go after worthless things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are worthless. 22For Allah will not forsake his people[1] for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Allah to make you a people to himself. 23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Allah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24Only fear Allah, and worship him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you. 25But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.

 

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[1] 12:22 See the Injil, Romans 11:2.