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Chapter 12
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1
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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
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And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I
am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with
you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto
this day. |
3
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Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD,
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 any bribe
to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. |
4
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And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed
us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. |
5
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And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against
you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have
not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is
witness. |
6
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And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that
advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers
up out of the land of Egypt. |
7
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Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you
before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD,
which he did to you and to your fathers. |
8
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When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried
unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which
brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them
dwell in this place. |
9
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And when they forgat the LORD their God, 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
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And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned,
because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim
and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of
our enemies, and we will serve thee. |
11
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And the LORD 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
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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 the LORD your God was
your king. |
13
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Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen,
and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath
set a king over you. |
14
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If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his
voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD,
then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over
you continue following the LORD your God: |
15
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But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but
rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall
the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against
your fathers. |
16
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Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which
the LORD will do before your eyes. |
17
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Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the
LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may
perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which
ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you
a king. |
18
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So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder
and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared
the LORD and Samuel. |
19
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And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants
unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added
unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. |
20
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And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have
done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following
the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; |
21
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And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after
vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they
are vain. |
22
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For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great
name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make
you his people. |
23
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Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against
the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach
you the good and the right way: |
24
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Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all
your heart: for consider how great things he hath done
for you. |
25
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But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed,
both ye and your king. |
