1 Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to you in everything you told me, and I have set a king over you.
2 So now, here is the king going before you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here among you. I have gone before you from my youth until today.
3 Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I crushed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me close my eyes to something? I will pay it back to you."
4 They said, "You have not cheated us or crushed us, and you have taken nothing from anyone's hand."
5 He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand." They said, "He is witness."
6 Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who made Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.
7 So now take your stand, and I will argue my case with you before the LORD over all the LORD's righteous deeds that he did for you and your fathers.
8 When Jacob had gone into Egypt, your fathers cried to the LORD, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron; they brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
9 But they forgot the LORD their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of Hazor's army, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and these made war on them.
10 They cried to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned; we abandoned the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. Now rescue us from our enemies' hand, and we will serve you.'
11 The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel, and he rescued you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived securely.
12 Yet when you saw Nahash king of the children of Ammon coming against you, you told me, 'No, a king must reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king.
13 So now, here is the king you chose, the one you asked for. The LORD has put a king over you.
14 If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey his voice and do not defy the LORD's command, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be following the LORD your God.
15 But if you do not obey the LORD's voice and you defy the LORD's command, the LORD's hand will be against you as it was against your fathers.
16 Now then, take your stand and watch this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes.
17 Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will realize and see how great a wrong you did in the LORD's sight by asking for a king."
18 Samuel called to the LORD, and that day the LORD sent thunder and rain, and all the people stood in great fear of the LORD and of Samuel.
19 All the people said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so we will not die, for on top of all our sins we have added this wrong of asking for a king."
20 Samuel told the people, "Do not be afraid. You have done all this wrong; only do not turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 Do not turn aside after empty things that can neither profit nor rescue, because they are empty.
22 For his great name's sake the LORD will not cast off his people, since the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for himself.
23 As for me, far be it from me to sin against the LORD by no longer praying for you; I will teach you the good and right way.
24 Just fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for see what great things he has done for you.
25 But if you persist in doing evil, you will be swept away, you and your king alike."