The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Sh'mu'el said to all Isra'el, "Here, I have done everything you asked me to do -I have made a king over you.
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Then Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you have said to me and appointed a king over you.
2 There is the king, walking ahead of you; but I am old and gray-headed. There are my sons with you, and I have walked at your head from when I was a boy until today.
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And now, here is the king who will lead you. I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day.
3 So here I am; now is the time to witness against me before ADONAI and before his anointed king. Does any of you think I have taken your ox or donkey, defrauded or oppressed you, or accepted a bribe to deprive you of justice? Tell me, and I will restore it to you."
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Here I am. Testify against me in front of the LORD and in front of his anointed king. Did I take anyone's ox? Did I take anyone's donkey? Did I cheat or oppress anyone? Did I take a bribe from anyone to look the other way? [If so,] I will give it all back."
4 They answered, "You haven't defrauded or oppressed us, and you have accepted nothing from anyone."
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They answered, "You didn't cheat us, oppress us, or take anything from anyone."
5 He said, "ADONAI is witness against you, and his anointed king is witness against you today, that you have found nothing in my hands?" They replied, "He is witness."
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Samuel told them, "The LORD is a witness to what you've said, and his anointed king is a witness today that you've found nothing in my hands." "He is a witness," they answered.
6 Sh'mu'el said to the people, "It was ADONAI who appointed Moshe and Aharon and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt.
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Samuel told the people, "The LORD appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors out of Egypt.
7 Now, hold still; because I am going to enter into judgment with you before ADONAI regarding all the righteous acts of ADONAI that he did for you and your ancestors.
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Now, stand up while I put you on trial in front of the LORD and cite all the righteous things the LORD did for you and your ancestors.
8 "After Ya'akov had entered Egypt, your ancestors cried to ADONAI; and ADONAI sent Moshe and Aharon, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and had them live here in this place.
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When your ancestors went with Jacob to Egypt [and were oppressed], they cried out to the LORD, who sent Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt. The LORD settled them in this place.
9 But they forgot ADONAI their God; so he handed them over to Sisra, commander of the army of Hatzor, and to the P'lishtim, and to the king of Mo'av; and they fought against them.
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But they forgot the LORD their God. So he handed them over to Sisera, who was the commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab. All of them fought against your ancestors.
10 But they cried to ADONAI and said, 'We sinned by abandoning ADONAI and serving the ba'alim and 'ashtarot. But now, if you rescue us from the power of our enemies, we will serve you.'
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Then they cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned. We have abandoned the LORD and served other gods and goddesses--the Baals and the Astartes. But rescue us from our enemies now, and we will serve you.'
11 So ADONAI sent Yeruba'al, B'dan, Yiftach and Sh'mu'el and rescued you from the power of our enemies on every side, and you lived securely.
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"Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel and rescued you from your enemies on every side so that you could live securely.
12 When you saw that Nachash the king of the people of 'Amon was attacking you, you said to me, "No, we want a king to rule over us"- when ADONAI your God was your king.
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But when you saw King Nahash of Ammon coming to attack you, you told me, 'No, a king should rule over us,' though the LORD your God was your king.
13 Now, here's the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, ADONAI has put a king over you.
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"Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, the LORD has put a king over you.
14 If you will fear ADONAI, serve him, obey what he says and not rebel against ADONAI's orders - if both you and the king ruling you remain followers of ADONAI your God - [then things will go well for you.]
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If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey him, and don't rebel against what he says, then you and your king will follow the LORD your God.
15 But if you refuse to obey what ADONAI says and rebel against ADONAI's orders, then ADONAI will oppress both you and your leaders.
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But if you don't obey the LORD, if you rebel against what he says, then the LORD will be against you as he was against your ancestors.
16 "Now therefore, hold still; and see the great deed which ADONAI will perform before your very eyes.
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Now then, stand still and watch this great thing the LORD is going to do right before your eyes.
17 Now is wheat harvest time, isn't it? I am going to call on ADONAI to send thunder and rain. Then you will understand and see how wicked from
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Isn't the wheat being harvested today? I will call on the LORD, and he'll send thunder and rain. Then you will realize what a wicked thing you did in the LORD's presence when you asked for a king."
18 Sh'mu'elADONAI's viewpoint is the thing you have done in asking for a king."called to ADONAI, and ADONAI sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people became very much afraid of ADONAI and Sh'mu'el.
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Then Samuel called on the LORD. That day the LORD sent thunder and rain so that all the people feared the LORD and Samuel very much.
19 All the people said to Sh'mu'el, "Pray to ADONAI your God for your servants, so that we won't die; because to all our other sins now we've added this evil as well, asking for a king over us."
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All the people pleaded with Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for us so that we will not die. We have added [another] evil thing to all our other sins by asking for a king."
20 Sh'mu'el answered the people, "Don't be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet now, just don't turn away from following ADONAI; but serve ADONAI with all your heart.
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"Don't be afraid," Samuel told the people. "You did do all these evil things. But don't turn away from the LORD. Instead, serve the LORD wholeheartedly.
21 Don't turn to the side; because then you would go after useless things that can neither help nor rescue, they are so futile.
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Don't turn away to follow other gods. They can't help or rescue you, because they don't exist.
22 For the sake of his great reputation, ADONAI will not abandon his people; because it has pleased ADONAI to make you a people for himself.
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For the sake of his great name, the LORD will not abandon his people, because the LORD wants to make you his people.
23 As for me, far be it from me to sin against ADONAI by ceasing to pray for you! Rather, I will continue instructing you in the good and right way.
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It would be unthinkable for me to sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. I will go on teaching you the way that is good and right.
24 Only fear ADONAI, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for think what great things he has done for you!
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Fear the LORD, and serve him sincerely. Consider the great things he did for you.
25 However, if you insist on doing wicked things, you will be swept away - both you and your king!"
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But if you go on doing what is evil, you and your king will be wiped out."
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.