Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 12"

1 Samuel 12

Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE

1 And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

2 And now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth until this day, behold here I am.

3 Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man’s ox, or ass: if I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man’s hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.

4 And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.

5 And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.

6 And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.

7 Now, therefore, stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:

8 How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

9 And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10 But afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11 And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.

12 But seeing that Naas, king of the children of Ammon, was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.

13 Now, therefore, your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.

14 If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of the Lord your God.

15 But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.

16 Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.

17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know, and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.

18 And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.

19 And all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.

20 And Samuel said to the people: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.

21 And turn not aside after vain things, which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.

22 And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.

23 And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you: and I will teach you the good and right way.

24 Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth, and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.

25 But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.

The Message Bible MSG

1 Samuel addressed all Israel: "I've listened to everything you've said to me, listened carefully to every word, and I've given you a king.

2 See for yourself: Your king among you, leading you! But now look at me: I'm old and gray, and my sons are still here. I've led you faithfully from my youth until this very day.

3 Look at me! Do you have any complaints to bring before God and his anointed? Have I ever stolen so much as an ox or a donkey? Have I ever taken advantage of you or exploited you? Have I ever taken a bribe or played fast and loose with the law? Bring your complaint and I'll make it right."

4 "Oh no," they said, "never. You've never done any of that - never abused us, never lined your own pockets."

5 "That settles it then," said Samuel. "God is witness, and his anointed is witness that you find nothing against me - no faults, no complaints."

6 And the people said, "He is witness."

7 Take your stand before him now as I review your case before God in the light of all the righteous ways in which God has worked with you and your ancestors.

8 When Jacob's sons entered Egypt, the Egyptians made life hard for them and they cried for help to God. God sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them here in this place.

9 "They soon forgot their God, so he sold them off to Sisera, commander of Hazor's army, later to a hard life under the Philistines, and still later to the king of Moab. They had to fight for their lives.

10 "Then they cried for help to God. They confessed, 'We've sinned! We've gone off and left God and worshiped the fertility gods and goddesses of Canaan. Oh, deliver us from the brutalities of our enemies and we'll worship you alone.'

11 "So God sent Jerub-Baal (Gideon), Bedan (Barak), Jephthah, and Samuel. He saved you from that hard life surrounded by enemies, and you lived in peace.

12 "But when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, preparing to attack you, you said to me, 'No more of this. We want a king to lead us.' And God was already your king!

13 "So here's the king you wanted, the king you asked for. God has let you have your own way, given you a king.

14 If you fear God, worship and obey him, and don't rebel against what he tells you. If both you and your king follow God, no problem. God will be sure to save you.

15 But if you don't obey him and rebel against what he tells you, king or no king, you will fare no better than your fathers.

16 "Pay attention! Watch this wonder that God is going to perform before you now!

17 It's summer, as you well know, and the rainy season is over. But I'm going to pray to God. He'll send thunder and rain, a sign to convince you of the great wrong you have done to God by asking for a king."

18 Samuel prayed to God, and God sent thunder and rain that same day. The people were greatly afraid and in awe of God and of Samuel.

19 Then all the people begged Samuel, "Pray to your God for us, your servants. Pray that we won't die! On top of all our other sins, we've piled on one more - asking for a king!"

20 Samuel said to them, "Don't be fearful. It's true that you have done something very wrong. All the same, don't turn your back on God. Worship and serve him heart and soul!

21 Don't chase after ghost-gods.

22 There's nothing to them. They can't help you. They're nothing but ghost-gods! God, simply because of who he is, is not going to walk off and leave his people. God took delight in making you into his very own people.

23 "And neither will I walk off and leave you. That would be a sin against God! I'm staying right here at my post praying for you and teaching you the good and right way to live.

24 But I beg of you, fear God and worship him honestly and heartily. You've seen how greatly he has worked among you!

25 Be warned: If you live badly, both you and your king will be thrown out."