1 Samuel 12

All 25 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1Samuel addressed all of Israel: "Look — I've listened to everything you asked of me, and I've given you a king."
2. 2Now your king stands before you, and I am old and gray. My sons are here with you, and I have walked before you from my youth until today.
3. 3Here I stand. Bring any accusation against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Have I cheated anyone? Have I oppressed anyone? Have I ever accepted a bribe to look the other way? If I have, I will repay it.
4. 4They answered, "You've never cheated us or oppressed us, and you've never taken anything from anyone."
5. 5Samuel said to them, "The LORD is a witness against you today, and his anointed king is a witness too — you've found nothing wrong in how I've led you." They replied, "He is witness."
6. 6Then Samuel said to the people, "It was the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors out of Egypt."
7. 7"Now stand here, because I'm going to lay out before the LORD all the righteous things he has done for you and your ancestors."
8. 8"When Jacob's family went to Egypt and your ancestors cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD sent Moses and Aaron. They led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this land."
9. 9"But they forgot the LORD their God. So he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor's army, and to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab — all of whom attacked them."
10. 10"Then they cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned! We abandoned the LORD and worshiped the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But rescue us from our enemies, and we will serve you.'"
11. 11"So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel. He rescued you from your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety."
12. 12"But when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, marching against you, you said to me, 'No — we want a king to rule over us!' And this was while the LORD your God was already your king."
13. 13"So here he is — the king you chose, the king you demanded. The LORD has placed a king over you."
14. 14If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey his voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who rules over you will continue following the LORD your God.
15. 15"But if you refuse to obey the LORD and rebel against his commands, then the LORD's hand will be against you, just as it was against your ancestors."
16. 16Now stand here and see this great thing the LORD is about to do right before your eyes.
17. 17"It's wheat harvest season right now, isn't it? I'm going to call on the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you'll understand just how wicked it was — in the LORD's eyes — to demand a king."
18. 18Samuel called on the LORD, and that very day the LORD sent thunder and rain. All the people were terrified of the LORD and of Samuel.
19. 19And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, so we do not die, for we have added this evil to all our sins by asking for a king."
20. 20Samuel told the people, "Don't be afraid. Yes, you've done all this evil. But don't turn away from the LORD. Serve the LORD with all your heart."
21. 21Do not turn aside, for then you would pursue worthless things that cannot benefit or save you, for they are useless.
22. 22"The LORD will not abandon his people, because for the sake of his great name, it pleased the LORD to make you his own."
23. 23As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD by stopping my prayers for you. I will keep teaching you what is good and right.
24. 24"Just fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Think about the incredible things he has done for you."
25. 25"But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be destroyed."