Samuel's Farewell Address
1And Samuelsaidunto all Israel,Behold, I have hearkenedunto your voicein all that ye saidunto me, and have madea kingover you.2And now, behold, the kingwalkethbeforeyou: and I am oldand grayheaded;and, behold, my sons[are] with you: and I have walkedbeforeyou from my childhoodunto this day.3Behold, here I [am]: witnessagainst me before the LORD,and before his anointed:whose oxhave I taken?or whose asshave I taken?or whom have I defrauded?whom have I oppressed?or of whose handhave I received [any] bribeto blindmine eyestherewith? and I will restoreit you.4And they said,Thou hast not defraudedus, nor oppressedus, neither hast thou takenoughtof any man'shand.5And he saidunto them, The LORD[is] witnessagainst you, and his anointed[is] witnessthis day,that ye have not foundoughtin my hand.And they answered,[He is] witness.
6And Samuelsaidunto the people,[It is] the LORDthat advancedMosesand Aaron,and that broughtyour fathersupout of the landof Egypt.7Now therefore stand still,that I may reasonwith you beforethe LORDof all the righteous actsof the LORD,which he didto you and to your fathers.8When Jacobwas comeinto Egypt,and your fatherscriedunto the LORD,then the LORDsentMosesand Aaron,which brought forthyour fathersout of Egypt,and made them dwellin this place.9And when they forgatthe LORDtheir God,he soldthem into the handof Sisera,captainof the hostof Hazor,and into the handof the Philistines,and into the handof the kingof Moab,and they foughtagainst them.10And they criedunto the LORD,and said,We have sinned,because we have forsakenthe LORD,and have servedBaalimand Ashtaroth:but now deliverus out of the handof our enemies,and we will servethee.11And the LORDsentJerubbaal,and Bedan,and Jephthah,and Samuel,and deliveredyou out of the handof your enemieson every side,and ye dwelledsafe.
12And when ye sawthat Nahashthe kingof the childrenof Ammoncameagainst you, ye saidunto me, Nay; but a kingshall reignover us: when the LORDyour God[was] your king.13Now therefore behold the kingwhom ye have chosen,[and] whom ye have desired!and, behold, the LORDhath seta kingover you.14If ye will fearthe LORD,and servehim, and obeyhis voice,and not rebelagainst the commandmentof the LORD,then shall both ye and also the kingthat reignethover you continue followingthe LORDyour God:15But if ye will not obeythe voiceof the LORD,but rebelagainst the commandmentof the LORD,then shall the handof the LORDbe against you, as [it was] against your fathers.16Now thereforestandand seethis greatthing,which the LORDwill dobefore your eyes.17[Is it] not wheatharvestto day?I will callunto the LORD,and he shall sendthunderand rain;that ye may perceiveand seethat your wickedness[is] great,which ye have donein the sightof the LORD,in askingyou a king.18So Samuelcalledunto the LORD;and the LORDsentthunderand rainthat day:and all the peoplegreatlyfearedthe LORDand Samuel.
19And all the peoplesaidunto Samuel,Prayfor thy servantsunto the LORDthy God,that we dienot: for we have addedunto all our sins[this] evil,to askus a king.20And Samuelsaidunto the people,Fearnot: ye have doneall this wickedness:yet turn not asidefrom followingthe LORD,but servethe LORDwith all your heart;21And turn ye not aside:for [then should ye go] aftervain[things], which cannot profitnor deliver;for they [are] vain.22For the LORDwill not forsakehis peoplefor his greatname'ssake: because it hath pleasedthe LORDto makeyou his people.23Moreover as for me,God forbidthat I should sinagainst the LORDin ceasingto prayfor you: but I will teachyou the goodand the rightway:24Only fearthe LORD,and servehim in truthwith all your heart:for considerhow great [things] he hath donefor you.25But if ye shall stilldo wickedly,ye shall be consumed,both ye and your king.
