Book 08 : NEVIIM - I SAMUEL - Chapter 012
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And Samuel said unto all Israel: 'Behold, I have hearkened
unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you
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And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old
and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you
from my youth unto this day
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Here I am; witness against me before HaShem, and before His
anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I
defrauded? or whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to
blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
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And they said: 'Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed
us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.
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And he said unto them: 'The HaShem is witness against you,
and His anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand.'
And they said: 'He is witness.
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And Samuel said unto the people: 'It is HaShem that made
Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt
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Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before
HaShem concerning all the righteous acts of HaShem, which He did to you and to
your fathers
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When Jacob was come into Egypt, then your fathers cried
unto HaShem, and HaShem sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out
of Egypt, and they were made to dwell in this place
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But they forgot HaShem their G-d, and He gave them over
into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the
Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against
them
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And they cried unto HaShem, and said: We have sinned,
because we have forsaken HaShem, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth;
but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee
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And HaShem sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and
Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye
dwelt in safety
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And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of
Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us;
when HaShem your G-d was your king
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Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and
whom ye have asked for; and, behold, HaShem hath set a king over you
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If ye will fear HaShem, and serve Him, and hearken unto
His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of HaShem, and both ye and also
the king that reigneth over you be followers of HaShem your G-d--
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but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of HaShem, but
rebel against the commandment of HaShem, then shall the hand of HaShem be
against you, and against your fathers
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Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which
HaShem will do before your eyes
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Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto HaShem,
that He may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your
wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of HaShem, in asking you a
king.
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So Samuel called unto HaShem; and HaShem sent thunder and
rain that day; and all the people greatly feared HaShem and Samuel
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And all the people said unto Samuel: 'Pray for thy
servants unto HaShem thy G-d, that we die not; for we have added unto all our
sins this evil, to ask us a king.
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And Samuel said unto the people: 'Fear not; ye have indeed
done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following HaShem, but serve HaShem
with all your heart
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and turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain
things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain
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For HaShem will not forsake His people for His great
name's sake; because it hath pleased HaShem to make you a people unto Himself
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Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin
against HaShem in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good
and the right way
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Only fear HaShem, and serve Him in truth with all your
heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you
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But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be swept away,
both ye and your king.
Book 08 : NEVIIM - I SAMUEL - Chapter 012
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