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1 Samuel / Samuel's Farewell and Exhortation to Israel
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Hannah's Prayer for a Son Hannah Presents Samuel to the Lord Hannah's Song of Praise Eli's Corrupt Sons and Samuel's Childhood Prophecy of Judgment on Eli's House Samuel's Call and the Lord's Word to Eli Israel Defeated and the Ark Captured Eli's Death and the Birth of Ichabod The Ark Brings Judgment in Philistine Cities The Ark Returned to Israel Samuel Judges Israel and Delivers Them at Mizpah Israel Demands a King Saul Chosen and Given Signs Saul Proclaimed King by Lot Saul's Victory at Jabesh-Gilead Saul Confirmed as King at Gilgal Samuel's Farewell and Exhortation to Israel Saul's Unauthorized Sacrifice and Rebuke Philistine Pressure and Israel's Lack of Arms Jonathan's Bold Assault and Victory Saul's Rash Oath and Its Consequences Saul's Pursuit and Jonathan's Exploits Saul's Family and Mighty Men Saul's Disobedience and Rejection as King David Anointed by Samuel David Serves Saul and Eases His Torment David and Goliath David's Rise and Saul's Jealousy Saul's Attempts on David's Life and Jonathan's Intervention David and Jonathan's Covenant David at Nob: Bread and Goliath's Sword David Feigns Madness at Gath David Gathers Followers and Seeks Priestly Aid Massacre at Nob and Abiathar Joins David David Delivers Keilah and Inquires of God Saul's Pursuit, Ziphite Betrayal, and David's Escape David Spares Saul in a Cave Nabal's Folly and Abigail's Intervention David Again Spares Saul in His Camp David Seeks Refuge with Achish Saul and the Witch of Endor The Philistines Reject David David Recovers His Family and Defeats the Amalekites The Death of Saul and His Sons

Samuel's Farewell and Exhortation to Israel

1 Samuel 12:1-25

12
Chapter 12
1 And Samuel said to all Israel, "Listen, I have heard your voice in all that you said to me, and I will make a king over you." 2 And now, behold, the king is walking before you, and I have grown old and gray. And behold, my sons are here with you. And I have walked before you from my youth until this day. 3 Here, testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I oppressed? Whom have I crushed? And from whose hand have I taken a ransom and hidden my eyes from him? And I will restore it to you. 4 And they said, "No, you have not oppressed us, and you have not shown us favor, and you have not taken anything from anyone's hand." 5 And he said to them, "The LORD is a witness against you, and his anointed is a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is a witness." 6 And Samuel said to the people, “The LORD who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.” 7 And now stand up, and I will judge you before the LORD for all the righteous acts of the LORD that he performed for you and your fathers. 8 When Jacob came to Egypt and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. 9 And they forgot the LORD their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army 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 out to the LORD and said, "We have sinned, for we have abandoned the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. And now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you." 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Shemuel and delivered you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you dwelt securely. 12 And you saw that Nahash king of the sons of Ammon had come against you, and you said to me, "No, for a king shall reign over us," and the LORD your God was your king. 13 And now, behold, the king whom you chose, whom you asked for. And behold, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and do not rebel against the mouth of the LORD, then you will be—both you and the king who has reigned over you—after the LORD your God. 15 And if you do not hear the voice of the LORD and rebel against the mouth of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and against your fathers. 16 Now stand and see this great thing that the LORD is about to do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, and he will give thunder and rain, and you shall know and see that your moral evil is great, which you did in the eyes of the LORD, to make you a king Saul. 18 And Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD gave thunder and rain on that day, and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 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 for ourselves a king." 20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear—you have done all this evil, but do not turn aside from following the LORD and serve the LORD with all your heart." 21 And do not turn aside after the emptiness, which will not profit nor rescue, for they are emptiness. 22 For the LORD will not abandon his people for the sake of his great name, for the LORD has desired to make you his people. 23 Moreover, far be it from me to sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and upright way. 24 Only fear the LORD and serve him in truth with all your heart, for see what great things he has done for you. 25 And if you do evil, you who do evil, you also, your king also, you perish.