Samuel's Farewell Address

1 Samuel 12

1 And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have obeyed n your voice in all that you have said to me o and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king p walks before you, q and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. 3 Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before r his anointed. s Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me 1 and I will restore it to you." 4 They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand." 5 And he said to them, "The Lord is witness against you, and r his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything t in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."

6 And Samuel said to the people, u "The Lord is witness, 2 who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers. 8 v When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, 3 w then your fathers cried out to the Lord and x the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, y who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 But z they forgot the Lord their God. a And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, 4 b and into the hand of the Philistines, c and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. 10 d And they cried out to the Lord and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord e and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now f deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.' 11 And the Lord sent g Jerubbaal h and Barak 5 i and Jephthah and j Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety. 12 And when you saw that k Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, l you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' m when the Lord your God was your king. 13 And now n behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, o the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you will p fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. 15 But q if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then r the hand of the Lord will be against you and s your king. 6 16 Now therefore t stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes. 17 u Is it not wheat harvest today? v I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that w your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king." 18 So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, x and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

19 And all the people said to Samuel, y "Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king." 20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet z do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And z do not turn aside after a empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22 b For the Lord will not forsake his people, c for his great name's sake, because d it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing e to pray for you, f and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 g Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider h what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, i you shall be swept away, j both you and your king."

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:5
    And said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.
    1 Samuel 8:19 - 20
    But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, "No! But there shall be a king over us.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 10:24
    And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people." And all the people shouted, "Long live the king!
    1 Samuel 11:14 - 15
    Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:20
    That we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.
    Numbers 27:17
    Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:1
    When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
    1 Samuel 8:5
    And said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:6
    He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I sho...
    1 Samuel 26:9
    But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him,...
    1 Samuel 26:11
    The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand a...
    1 Samuel 26:16
    This thing that you have done is not good. As t...
    2 Samuel 1:14
    David said to him, "How is it you were not afra...
    2 Samuel 1:16
    And David said to him, "Your blood be on your h...
    1 Samuel 10:1
    Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it o...
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 20:17
    "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
    Numbers 16:15
    And Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, "Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:3
    Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 21:16
    Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.
    Exodus 22:4
    If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
  9. Cross References
    Micah 6:4
    For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 46:5 - 6
    Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 2:23
    During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 3:10
    Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.
    Exodus 4:14 - 16
    Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, "Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 10:18
    And he said to the people of Israel, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.
  14. Cross References
    Judges 3:7
    And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
  15. Cross References
    Judges 4:2
    And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.
  16. Cross References
    Judges 10:7
    So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites.
    Judges 13:1
    And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
    Judges 3:31
    After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
  17. Cross References
    Judges 3:12
    And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
  18. Cross References
    Judges 10:10
    And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.
    Judges 3:9
    But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
  19. Cross References
    Judges 2:13
    They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.
  20. Cross References
    Judges 10:15
    And the people of Israel said to the Lord, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.
  21. Cross References
    Judges 6:14
    And the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?
    Judges 6:32
    Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, "Let Baal contend against him," because he broke down his altar.
  22. Cross References
    Judges 4:6
    She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, "Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, 'Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.
    Judges 4:8
    Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.
    Judges 4:10
    And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
  23. Cross References
    Judges 11:1
    Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah.
  24. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:10 - 13
    As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.
  25. Cross References
    1 Samuel 11:1
    Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.
  26. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:5
    And said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.
    1 Samuel 8:19
    But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, "No! But there shall be a king over us.
  27. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:7
    And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
    1 Samuel 10:19
    But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.
    Judges 8:23
    Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.
  28. Cross References
    1 Samuel 10:24
    And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people." And all the people shouted, "Long live the king!
  29. Cross References
    1 Samuel 9:16 - 17
    "Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me."
    Hosea 13:11
    I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath.
  30. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:24
    Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.
    Deuteronomy 6:2
    That you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.
    Joshua 24:14
    Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
  31. Cross References
    Leviticus 26:14 - 15
    But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments.
    Deuteronomy 28:15
    But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.
    Joshua 24:20
    If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.
  32. Cross References
    1 Samuel 5:9
    But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
  33. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:9
    But 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.
  34. Cross References
    Exodus 14:13
    And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
  35. Cross References
    Proverbs 26:1
    Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
  36. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:9 - 10
    So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.
    James 5:16 - 18
    Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
  37. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:7
    And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
  38. Cross References
    Exodus 14:31
    Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
    Ezra 10:9
    Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.
  39. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:23
    Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
    Exodus 9:28
    Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.
    Exodus 10:17
    Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.
    Jeremiah 15:1
    Then the Lord said to me, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!
  40. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:16
    Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them.
  41. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:20
    And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
  42. Cross References
    Jeremiah 16:19
    O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: "Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.
    Habakkuk 2:18
    What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!
    1 Corinthians 8:4
    Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one.
  43. Cross References
    1 Kings 6:13
    And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.
    Psalms 94:14
    For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage.
    1 Kings 8:57
    The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us.
  44. Cross References
    Joshua 7:9
    For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of t...
    Psalms 106:8
    Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he ...
    Jeremiah 14:21
    Do not spurn us, for your name's sake; do not d...
    Ezekiel 20:9
    But I acted for the sake of my name, that it sh...
    Ezekiel 20:14
    But I acted for the sake of my name, that it sh...
    Ezekiel 20:22
    But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake o...
  45. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 7:7 - 8
    It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
    Deuteronomy 14:2
    For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
    1 Peter 2:9
    But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
  46. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:19
    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, to ask for ourselves a king.
  47. Cross References
    1 Kings 8:36
    Then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
    2 Chronicles 6:27
    Then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
    Psalms 27:11
    Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
    Proverbs 4:11
    I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
    Jeremiah 6:16
    Thus says the Lord : "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.
  48. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:14
    If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well.
    Ecclesiastes 12:13
    The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
  49. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 10:21
    He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.
    Psalms 126:2 - 3
    Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them.
  50. Cross References
    Joshua 24:20
    If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.
    Numbers 16:26
    And he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.
  51. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:36
    The Lord will bring you and your king whom you set over you to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known. And there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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