Samuel’s Farewell Address

1Samuel then said vnto all Israel, Behold, I haue hearkened vnto your voyce in all that yee sayde vnto mee, and haue appoynted a King ouer you. 2Now therefore behold, your King walketh before you, and I am old and graie headed, and beholde, my sonnes are with you: and I haue walked before you fro my childhode vnto this day. 3Beholde, here I am: beare recorde of me before the Lord & before his Anointed. Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? or whome haue I done wrong to? or whome haue I hurt? or of whose hande haue I receiued any bribe, to blinde mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you? 4Then they sayde, Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hast hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand. 5And he saide vnto them, The Lorde is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that yee haue founde nought in mine handes; they answered, He is witnesse.

6Then Samuel sayde vnto the people, It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt. 7Nowe therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the righteousnesse of the Lorde, which he shewed to you and to your fathers. 8After that Iaakob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried vnto the Lorde, then the Lorde sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. 9And when they forgate the Lorde their God, he solde them into the hand of Sisera captaine of the hoste of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistims, and into the hande of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10And they cried vnto the Lorde, and saide, We haue sinned, because we haue forsaken the Lorde, and haue serued Baalim and Ashtaroth. Nowe therefore deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies, and we will serue thee. 11Therefore the Lorde sent Ierubbaal and Bedan and Iphtaph, and Samuel, and deliuered you out of the handes of your enemies on euery side, and yee dwelled safe.

12Notwithstanding when you sawe, that Nahash the King of the children of Ammon came against you, ye sayde vnto me, No, but a King shall reigne ouer vs: when yet the Lord your God was your King. 13Nowe therefore beholde the King whome yee haue chosen, and whome yee haue desired: loe therefore, the Lord hath set a King ouer you. 14If ye wil feare the Lord and serue him, and heare his voyce, and not disobey the worde of the Lorde, both yee, and the King that reigneth ouer you, shall follow the Lord your God. 15But if yee will not obey the voyce of the Lorde, but disobey the Lordes mouth, then shall the hand of the Lorde be vpon you, and on your fathers. 16Nowe also stande and see this great thing which the Lord will doe before your eyes. 17Is it not nowe wheat haruest? I wil call vnto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and raine, that yee may perceiue and see, howe that your wickednesse is great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King. 18Then Samuel called vnto the Lorde, and the Lorde sent thunder and raine the same day: and all the people feared the Lorde and Samuel exceedingly.

19And all the people said vnto Samuel, Pray for thy seruaunts vnto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we haue sinned in asking vs a King, beside all our other sinnes. 20And Samuel said vnto the people, Feare not. (ye haue in deede done all this wickednesse, yet dpeart not from following the Lorde, but serue the Lord with all your heart, 21Neither turne yee backe: for that shoulde be after vaine things which cannot profite you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie) 22For the Lorde will not forsake his people for his great Names sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. 23Moreouer God forbid, that I should sinne against the Lord, and cease praying for you, but I will shewe you the good and right way. 24Therefore feare you the Lorde, and serue him in the trueth with all your hearts, and consider howe great things he hath done for you. 25But if ye doe wickedly, ye shal perish, both yee, and your King.