And now behold, the king goes to and fro before you; and I have grown old and will sit down. And my sons, behold, are among you; and I, behold, have walked before you from my youth until this day.
Here I am. Answer against me before the Lord and before his anointed: Whose calf have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom of you have I oppressed? Or whom have I squeezed? Or from whose hand have I taken a ransom and a sandal? Answer against me, and I will restore it to you.
And Samuel said to the people, The Lord is witness among you, and his anointed is witness today in this day, that you have found nothing in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
And now stand still, and I will plead with you before the Lord, and I will declare to you all the righteousness of the Lord, the things he did among you and among your fathers.
When Iakob and his sons came into Egypt, and Egypt humbled them, then our fathers cried out to the Lord; and the Lord sent Moyses and Aaron, and he brought our fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
But they forgot the Lord their God, and he sold them into the hands of Sisara, commander-in-chief of Iabin king of Asor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the king of Moab; and they made war against them.
And they cried out to the Lord and were saying, We have sinned, because we forsook the Lord and served the Baalim and the groves; and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.
And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Iephthae and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt in confidence.
And you saw that Naas king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said, No, but a king shall reign over us; and yet the Lord our God is our king.
If you fear the Lord and serve him and hearken to his voice and do not strive against the mouth of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you shall be following after the Lord.
But if you do not hearken to the voice of the Lord and strive against the mouth of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord shall be against you and against your king.
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, and he will give thunders and rain; and know and see that your wickedness is great, which you did before the Lord in asking a king for yourselves.
And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, in asking a king for ourselves.
And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this evil; only do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
And as for me, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; and I will serve the Lord and will show you the good and straight way.