1Samuel said to all Israel, "Look, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2Now, look, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and look, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 3Here 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, or a shoe? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you." 4They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man's hand." 5He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." They said, "He is witness."

6Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of Egypt. 7Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD and will recount for you all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8"When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9"But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain 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. 10And they cried to the LORD, and they said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.' 11The LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Barak, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

12"When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us;' when the LORD your God was your king. 13Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and look, the LORD has set a king over you. 14If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God, then he will rescue you. 15But if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, and against your king to destroy you. 16"Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for a king." 18So Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king." 20Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21Do not turn aside to go after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people to himself. 23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you. 25But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."