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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>1 Samuel 12 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_samuel/12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_samuel/12-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > 1 Samuel 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_samuel/11.htm" title="1 Samuel 11">◄</a> 1 Samuel 12 <a href="../1_samuel/13.htm" title="1 Samuel 13">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Samuel's Farewell Speech</h3><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_1"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.1" class="v9_12_1">1</span>Samuel told the Israelites:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_1">I have given you a king, just as you asked. </span><span class="v9_12_2"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.2" class="v9_12_2">2</span>You have seen how I have led you ever since I was a young man. I'm already old. My hair is gray, and my own sons are grown. Now you must see how well your king will lead you.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_3"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.3" class="v9_12_3">3</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.3!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Let me ask this. Have I ever taken anyone's ox or donkey or forced you to give me anything? Have I ever hurt anyone or taken a bribe to give an unfair decision? Answer me so the <span class="nd">Lord</span> and his chosen king can hear you. And if I have done any of these things, I will give it all back.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_4"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.4" class="v9_12_4">4</span>“No,” the Israelites answered. “You've never cheated us in any way!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_5"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.5" class="v9_12_5">5</span>Samuel said, “The <span class="nd">Lord</span> and his chosen king are witnesses to what you have said.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_5">“That's true,” they replied.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_6"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.6" class="v9_12_6">6</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.6!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Then Samuel told them:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_6">The <span class="nd">Lord</span> brought your ancestors out of Egypt and chose Moses and Aaron to be your leaders. </span><span class="v9_12_7"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.7" class="v9_12_7">7</span>Now the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will be your judge. So stand here and listen, while I remind you how often the <span class="nd">Lord</span> has saved you and your ancestors from your enemies.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_8"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.8" class="v9_12_8">8</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.8!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> After Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the <span class="nd">Lord</span> for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron. They brought your ancestors out of Egypt and led them here to settle this land. </span><span class="v9_12_9"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.9" class="v9_12_9">9</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.9!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> But your ancestors forgot the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, so he let them be defeated by the Philistines, the king of Moab, and Sisera, the commander of Hazor's army.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_10"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.10" class="v9_12_10">10</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.10!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> <a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.10!x.2" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Again your ancestors cried out to the <span class="nd">Lord</span> for help. They said, “We have sinned! We stopped worshiping you, our <span class="nd">Lord</span>, and started worshiping Baal and Astarte. But now, if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you.”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_11"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.11" class="v9_12_11">11</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.11!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> The <span class="nd">Lord</span> sent Gideon,<a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.11!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to rescue you from your enemies, and you didn't have to worry about being attacked. </span><span class="v9_12_12"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.12" class="v9_12_12">12</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.12!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Then you saw that King Nahash of Ammon was going to attack you. And even though the <span class="nd">Lord</span> your God is your king, you told me, “This time it's different. We want a king to rule us!”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_13"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.13" class="v9_12_13">13</span>You asked for a king, and you chose one. Now he stands here where all of you can see him. But it was really the <span class="nd">Lord</span> who made him your king. </span><span class="v9_12_14"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.14" class="v9_12_14">14</span>If you and your king want to be followers of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, you must worship him<a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.14!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and do what he says. Don't be stubborn! </span><span class="v9_12_15"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.15" class="v9_12_15">15</span>If you're stubborn and refuse to obey the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, he will turn against you and your king.<a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.15!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_16"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.16" class="v9_12_16">16</span>Just stand here and watch the <span class="nd">Lord</span> show his mighty power. </span><span class="v9_12_17"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.17" class="v9_12_17">17</span>Isn't this the dry season?<a href="#fn" id="link_1Sam.12.17!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> I'm going to ask the <span class="nd">Lord</span> to send a thunderstorm. When you see it, you will realize how wrong you were to ask for a king.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_18"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.18" class="v9_12_18">18</span>Samuel prayed, and that same day the <span class="nd">Lord</span> sent a thunderstorm. Everyone was afraid of the <span class="nd">Lord</span> and of Samuel. </span><span class="v9_12_19"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.19" class="v9_12_19">19</span>They told Samuel, “Please, pray to the <span class="nd">Lord</span> your God for us! We don't want to die. We have sinned many times in the past, and we were very wrong to ask for a king.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v9_12_20"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.20" class="v9_12_20">20</span>Samuel answered:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_20">Even though what you did was wrong, you don't need to be afraid. But you must always follow the <span class="nd">Lord</span> and worship him with all your heart. </span><span class="v9_12_21"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.21" class="v9_12_21">21</span>Don't worship idols! They don't have any power, and they can't help you or save you when you're in trouble. </span><span class="v9_12_22"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.22" class="v9_12_22">22</span>But the <span class="nd">Lord</span> has chosen you to be his own people. He will always take care of you so that everyone will know how great he is.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v9_12_23"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.23" class="v9_12_23">23</span>I would be disobeying the <span class="nd">Lord</span> if I stopped praying for you! I will always teach you how to live right. </span><span class="v9_12_24"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.24" class="v9_12_24">24</span>You also must obey the <span class="nd">Lord</span>—you must worship him with all your heart and remember the great things he has done for you. </span><span class="v9_12_25"><span class="reftext" id="1Sam.12.25" class="v9_12_25">25</span>But if you and your king do evil, the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will wipe you out.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.11 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Gideon: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The Hebrew text has “Jerubbaal,” another name for “Gideon.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.14 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">If … him: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “If you and your king want things to go well for you, then you must worship the <char style="nd">Lord</char>.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.15 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">and your king: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation; Hebrew “and your ancestors” or “as he was against your ancestors.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">12.17 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the dry season: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The Hebrew text has “time for wheat harvest,” which was usually in the spring, the beginning of the dry season.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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