1 撒母耳对以色列人说： "看哪！ 我已经听从了你们向我所说的一切话， 为你们立了一个王。
2 现在， 有这王领导你们。至于我， 我已经年老发白， 我的儿子也都在你们那里； 我自幼年直到今日都领导你们。
3 看哪， 我在这里！ 你们只管在耶和华面前， 以及在他的受膏者面前， 作证指控我： 我夺过谁的牛？抢过谁的驴？欺负过谁？虐待过谁？从谁手里受过贿赂， 以致我的眼睛因此被蒙住呢？如果有， 我必偿还给你们。"
4 他们回答： "你没有欺负过我们， 没有虐待过我们， 也没有从谁手里取过什么东西。"
5 撒母耳对他们说： "今天耶和华在你们中间作见证， 他的膏立者也作见证； 你们在我手里没有找到什么。"他们说： "愿他作证。"
6 撒母耳对人民说： "从前选立摩西和亚伦， 又把你们的列祖从埃及地领上来的， 是耶和华。
7 现在你们要站住， 我要在耶和华面前与你们讲论耶和华向你们的列祖所行一切公义的事。
8 从前雅各到了埃及， 后来你们的列祖哀求耶和华， 耶和华就差遣摩西和亚伦去把你们的列祖从埃及领出来， 又使他们在这地方居住。
9 他们却忘记了耶和华他们的 神， 神就把他们交在夏琐的将军西西拉的手中， 以及非利士人和摩押王的手中， 于是这些人常常攻打他们。
10 他们就哀求耶和华， 说： ‘我们犯了罪， 因为我们背弃了耶和华， 又去服事巴力和亚斯他录。现在求你救我们脱离仇敌的手， 我们就必事奉你。’
11 于是耶和华差遣耶路．巴力、比但、耶弗他、撒母耳， 救你们脱离四围仇敌的手， 你们才可以安然居住。
12 可是， 你们看到亚扪王拿辖来攻击你们， 就对我说： ‘不行， 我们要有一个王来统治我们。’其实， 耶和华你们的 神是你们的王。
13 现在， 你们所拣选、所要求的王在这里。看哪！ 耶和华已经立了一个王统治你们。
14 如果你们敬畏耶和华， 事奉他， 听从他的话， 不违背他的命令， 你们和统治你们的王就必跟从耶和华你们的 神。
15 但是， 如果你们不听从耶和华的话， 违背他的命令， 耶和华的手就必攻击你们， 好像攻击你们的列祖一样。
16 现在你们要站着， 看耶和华在你们眼前将要施行的这件大事。
17 现今不是收割麦子的时候吗？我要向耶和华呼求， 他就会打雷降雨， 你们就可以知道， 又可以看见， 你们为自己要求立王的事， 在耶和华看来， 是行了极大的恶事。"
18 于是撒母耳向耶和华呼求， 耶和华就在那天打雷降雨， 众民就非常惧怕耶和华和撒母耳。
19 众民对撒母耳说： "求你为仆人向耶和华你的 神祷告， 免得我们死亡， 因为我们为自己要求立王的事， 是在我们的一切罪上又增加了这一件恶事。"
20 撒母耳对人民说： "不要惧怕！ 虽然你们行了这一切恶事， 只是不可偏离不跟随耶和华， 总要一心事奉他。
21 不可偏离耶和华， 去追随那些空虚的偶像， 因为它们本是空虚的， 对人没有什么益处， 也不能救人。
22 耶和华为了自己的大名的缘故， 必不丢弃他的子民， 因为他喜欢使你们作他的子民。
23 至于我， 我决不停止为你们祷告， 以致得罪耶和华； 我要把善道正路教导你们。
24 你们只要敬畏耶和华， 诚实全心事奉他， 因为你们已经看过他为你们所作的是何等大的事。
25 如果你们继续行恶， 你们和你们的王就必一同灭亡。"
1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day. 3 Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand. 5 And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9 But they forgat Jehovah their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 And they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. 11 And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety. 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set a king over you. 14 If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God, well: 15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then will the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king. 18 So Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.
19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart: 21 and turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you. 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.