New Century Version NCV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Samuel said to all Israel, "I have done every thing you wanted me to do and have put a king over you.
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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.
2 Now you have a king to lead you. I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader since I was young.
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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.
3 Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, you must testify against me before the Lord and his appointed king. Did I steal anyone's ox or donkey? Did I hurt or cheat anyone? Did I ever secretly accept money to pretend not to see something wrong? If I did any of these things, I will make it right."
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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."
4 The Israelites answered, "You have not cheated us, or hurt us, or taken anything unfairly from anyone."
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They answered, "You haven't defrauded or oppressed us, and you have accepted nothing from anyone."
5 Samuel said to them, "The Lord is a witness to what you have said. His appointed king is also a witness today that you did not find anything wrong in me." "He is our witness," they said.
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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."
6 Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the Lord who chose Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors out of Egypt.
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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.
7 Now, stand there, and I will remind you of all the good things the Lord did for you and your ancestors.
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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.
8 "After Jacob entered Egypt, his descendants cried to the Lord for help. So the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who took your ancestors out of Egypt and brought them to live in this place.
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"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.
9 "But they forgot the Lord their God. So he handed them over as slaves to Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and as slaves to the Philistines and the king of Moab. They all fought against your ancestors.
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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.
10 Then your ancestors cried to the Lord and said, 'We have sinned. We have left the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now save us from our enemies, and we will serve you.'
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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.'
11 So the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel. He saved you from your enemies around you, and you lived in safety.
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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.
12 But when you saw Nahash king of the Ammonites coming against you, you said, 'No! We want a king to rule over us!' -- even though the Lord your God was your king.
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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.
13 Now here is the king you chose, the one you asked for. The Lord has put him over you.
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Now, here's the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, ADONAI has put a king over you.
14 You must honor the Lord and serve him. You must obey his word and not turn against his commands. Both you and the king ruling over you must follow the Lord your God. If you do, it will be well with you.
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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.]
15 But if you don't obey the Lord, and if you turn against his commands, he will be against you. He will do to you what he did to your ancestors.
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But if you refuse to obey what ADONAI says and rebel against ADONAI's orders, then ADONAI will oppress both you and your leaders.
16 "Now stand still and see the great thing the Lord will do before your eyes.
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"Now therefore, hold still; and see the great deed which ADONAI will perform before your very eyes.
17 It is now the time of the wheat harvest. I will pray for the Lord to send thunder and rain. Then you will know what an evil thing you did against the Lord when you asked for a king."
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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
18 Then Samuel prayed to the Lord, and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So the people were very afraid of the Lord and Samuel.
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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.
19 They said to Samuel, "Pray to the Lord your God for us, your servants! Don't let us die! We've added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king."
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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."
20 Samuel answered, "Don't be afraid. It's true that you did wrong, but don't turn away from the Lord. Serve the Lord with all your heart.
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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.
21 Idols are of no use, so don't worship them. They can't help you or save you. They are useless!
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Don't turn to the side; because then you would go after useless things that can neither help nor rescue, they are so futile.
22 For his own sake, the Lord won't leave his people. Instead, he was pleased to make you his own people.
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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.
23 I will surely not stop praying for you, because that would be sinning against the Lord. I will teach you what is good and right.
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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.
24 You must honor the Lord and truly serve him with all your heart. Remember the wonderful things he did for you!
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Only fear ADONAI, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for think what great things he has done for you!
25 But if you are stubborn and do evil, he will sweep you and your king away."
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However, if you insist on doing wicked things, you will be swept away - both you and your king!"
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.