Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Samuel said to all Israel: "Listen: I have done everything you asked of me and have placed a king over you.
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Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to you in all that you have said to me, and have set a king over you.
2 The king will lead you now. I am old and gray, though my sons are still with you, and I've been your leader since I was young until now.
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See, it is the king who leads you now; I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day.
3 So I'm here: Tell the truth about me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Have I ever stolen someone's ox? Have I ever taken someone's donkey? Have I ever oppressed or mistreated anyone? Have I ever taken bribes from someone and looked the other way about something? Tell me the truth. I will make it right."
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Here I am; testify against me before the Lord 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 with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
4 "You haven't oppressed or mistreated us, and you've never taken anything from anyone," the people answered.
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They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from the hand of anyone."
5 Samuel replied, "The LORD and his anointed one are witnesses against you today that you haven't found anything in my possession." "Agreed," they said.
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He said to them, "The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."
6 Then Samuel told the people: “The witness is indeed the LORD, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt.
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Samuel said to the people, "The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of the land of Egypt.
7 So now stand here, and I will judge you in the LORD's presence because of all the LORD's righteous acts that he has done for you and your ancestors:
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Now therefore take your stand, so that I may enter into judgment with you before the Lord, and I will declare to you all the saving deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your ancestors.
8 “When Jacob entered Egypt, the Egyptians oppressed them. So your ancestors cried out to the LORD. The LORD then sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them here.
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When Jacob went into Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your ancestors cried to the Lord and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your ancestors out of Egypt, and settled them in this place.
9 But your ancestors 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 Moabite king, all of whom fought against them.
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But they forgot the Lord their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of King Jabin of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10 Then your ancestors cried out to the LORD and said: ‘We have sinned because we have abandoned the LORD and have worshipped the Baals and the Astartes. But now deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will worship you.'
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Then they cried to the Lord, and said, "We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served the Baals and the Astartes; but now rescue us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'
11 So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samson, and he delivered you from the power of your enemies on every side. And you lived safe and secure.
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And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak, and Jephthah, and Samson, and rescued you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
12 But when you saw that Nahash the Ammonite king was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No! There must be a king to rule over us.' But the LORD your God was already your king!
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But when you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, "No, but a king shall reign over us,' though the Lord your God was your king.
13 "So now, here is the king you chose, the one you asked for. Yes, the LORD has put a king over you!
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See, here is the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; see, the Lord has set a king over you.
14 If you will fear the LORD, worship him, obey him, and not rebel against the LORD's command, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God—all will be well.
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If you will fear the Lord and serve him and heed his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well;
15 But if you don't obey the LORD and rebel against the LORD's command, then the LORD's power will go against you and your king to destroy you.
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but if you will not heed the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.
16 “So now take a stand! Look at this awesome thing the LORD is doing.
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Now therefore take your stand and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.
17 Isn't the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. Then you will know and will see for yourselves what great evil you've done in the LORD's eyes by asking for a king."
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Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that the wickedness that you have done in the sight of the Lord is great in demanding a king for yourselves."
18 Samuel called upon the LORD, and God sent thunder and rain on that very day. Then all the people were in awe of the LORD and Samuel.
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So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
19 All of them said to Samuel, "Please pray for us, your servants, to the LORD your God so we don't die because we have added to our many sins the evil of asking for a king."
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All the people said to Samuel, "Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of demanding a king for ourselves."
20 But Samuel answered the people, "Don't be afraid. Yes, you've done all this evil; just don't turn back from following the LORD. Serve the LORD with all your heart.
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And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
21 Don't turn aside to follow useless idols that can't help you or save you. They're absolutely useless!
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and do not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save, for they are useless.
22 For the sake of his reputation, the LORD won't abandon his people, because the LORD has decided to make you his very own people.
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For the Lord will not cast away his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
23 But me? I would never sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. I will teach you what is good and right.
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Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 Just fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Look at what great things he has done for you!
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Only fear the Lord, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
25 But if you continue to do evil, then both you and your king will be destroyed."
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But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.