1Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have heard your voice in everything that you said to me, and I caused a king to reign over you.2And now behold the king walking before you; I am old and gray, and behold my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.3Look! Answer me before the LORD and before his anointed: whose cattle have I taken? And whose donkey have I taken? And whom have I oppressed? Whom have I crushed? And from whose hand have I taken ransom? I will not conceal my eyes in it, and I will return it to you."4They said, "You have not oppressed us, and you have not crushed us, and you have not taken anything from any man's hand."5He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, for nothing has been found in my hand." And they said, "Witness."6Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who made Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.7And now stand and let me judge with you before the LORD all the righteous acts which the LORD has done with you and with your fathers.8When Jacob came to Egypt your fathers cried out to the LORD, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.9They forgot the LORD their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, ruler 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."10They cried out to the LORD and said, "We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you."11The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Iphtah, and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt in security.12You saw that Nahash king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said to me, "No, a king shall reign over us," when the LORD your God was your king.13And now behold the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for; behold, the LORD has set a king over you.14If you will fear the LORD and serve him and listen to his voice and not rebel against the mouth of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue after the LORD your God.15But if you do not listen to 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.16Now therefore stand and see this great thing which the LORD is about to do before your eyes.17Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain; then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king.18Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that same day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.19All the people said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil of asking for ourselves a king."20Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil; only do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.21Do not turn aside after vain things which cannot profit and cannot deliver, for they are vain.22For the LORD will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name, because the LORD was pleased to make you his people.23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; I will instruct you in the good and the right way.24Only fear the LORD and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.25But if you do evil, both you and your king will be swept away."