1 And Shemu’ĕl said to all Yisra’ĕl, “Look, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have appointed a sovereign over you.
2 “And now, look, the sovereign is walking before you. And I am old and grey, and look, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3 “Look, here I am. Witness against me before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I abused, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? – then I restore it to you.”
4 And they said, “You have not oppressed us or abused us, nor have you taken any from anyone’s hand.”
5 So he said to them, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is witness against you, and His anointed is witness today, that you have found naught in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”
6 And Shemu’ĕl said to the people, “It is 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 who appointed Mosheh and Aharon, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Mitsrayim.
7 “And now, stand still, so that I judge you before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 concerning all the righteous acts of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 which He did to you and your fathers:
8 “When Ya’aqoḇ had come to Mitsrayim, and your fathers cried out to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 sent Mosheh and Aharon, who brought your fathers out of Mitsrayim and made them dwell in this place.
9 “But they forgot 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 their Elohim, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Ḥatsor, and into the hand of the Pelishtites, and into the hand of the sovereign of Mo’aḇ. And they fought against them.
10 “And they cried out to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and served the Ba’als and the Ashtaroth. And now, deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we serve You.’
11 “And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 sent Yerubba’al, and Beḏan, and Yiphtaḥ, and Shemu’ĕl, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt in safety.
12 “And when you saw that Naḥash sovereign of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but let a sovereign reign over us,’ when 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim was your sovereign.
13 “And now, here is the sovereign whom you have chosen and whom you have asked. And see, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has appointed a sovereign over you.
14 “If you revere 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and shall serve Him and obey His voice, and not rebel against the Command of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, then both you and the sovereign who reigns over you shall follow 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim.
15 “But if you do not obey the voice of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and shall rebel against the Command of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, then the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 shall be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 “And now, stand and see this great matter which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 does before your eyes:
17 “Is today not the wheat harvest? Let me call to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, so that He sends thunder and rain – know then and see that your evil is great, which you have done in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, in asking for yourselves a sovereign.”
18 And Shemu’ĕl called to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly revered 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and Shemu’ĕl.
19 And all the people said to Shemu’ĕl, “Pray for your servants to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim, that we do not die, for we have added to all our sins by doing evil in asking for ourselves a sovereign.”
20 And Shemu’ĕl said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this evil. Only, do not turn aside from following 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. And you shall serve 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 with all your heart,
21 and do not turn aside after worthlessness which does not profit or deliver, for they are worthless.
22 “For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 would not cast away His people, for His great Name’s sake, seeing it has pleased 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 to make you His people.
23 “Also, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in ceasing to pray for you, but I shall teach you the good and straight Way.
24 “Only revere 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and you shall serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what marvels He has done for you.
25 “But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your sovereign are consumed.”