1Samuel said to all Israel, "Look, I have listened to everything you asked me for, and I have given you a king.
2Now you have a king to lead you. I am old and gray-haired, and my sons are among you. I have led you since I was young until this very day."
3Here I am. Accuse me in front of Yahweh and his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whom have I taken a bribe to overlook something? Tell me, and I will pay it back to you.
4They said, "You have not cheated us, or oppressed us, or taken anything from anyone."
5He said to them, "Yahweh is a witness against you today, and his chosen king is a witness, that you have not found anything wrong in my actions." They said, "He is a witness."
6Samuel said to the people, "It was Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your ancestors up out of the land of Egypt.
7Now stand still, so I can argue with you before Yahweh about all the good things Yahweh did for you and your ancestors.
8When Jacob came into Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
9But they forgot Yahweh their God. So he let them be defeated by Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and by the Philistines, and by the king of Moab; and these nations fought against them.
10They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we abandoned Yahweh and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now, rescue us from our enemies, and we will serve you.'
11Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and he rescued you from your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.
12When you saw that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, was coming against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us,' even though Yahweh your God was your king.
13Now, look at the king you have chosen and asked for. See, Yahweh has placed a king over you.
14If you respect Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and do not rebel against Yahweh's command, then both you and the king who rules over you will follow Yahweh your God.
15But if you do not listen to Yahweh's voice, and rebel against Yahweh's command, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, just as it was against your ancestors.
16Now, stand still and see this great thing that Yahweh will do before your eyes.
17Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that you have done a great evil in Yahweh's sight by asking for a king.
18So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.
19All the people said to Samuel, "Pray to Yahweh your God for us, your servants, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."
20Samuel said to the people, "Don't be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; nevertheless, do not turn away from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.
21Don't turn away to follow worthless things that cannot help or rescue you, because they are useless.
22For Yahweh will not abandon his people for the sake of his great name, because Yahweh was pleased to make you his own people."
23As for me, I would be sinning against Yahweh if I stopped praying for you. Instead, I will teach you the good and right way to live.
24You should only respect Yahweh and serve him truly with all your heart. Just think about the great things he has done for you.
25But if you continue to do evil, both you and your king will be destroyed.