Samuel Addresses the People
1 Then Samuel said to the people of Israel, “I have done what you asked me to do. I have given you a king to rule you, 2 and now you have him to lead you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are with you. I have been your leader from my youth until now. 3 Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, accuse me now in the presence of the Lord and the king he has chosen. Have I taken anybody's cow or anybody's donkey? Have I cheated or oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone? If I have done any of these things, I will pay back what I have taken.”
4 The people answered, “No, you have not cheated us or oppressed us; you have not taken anything from anyone.”
5 Samuel replied, “The Lord and the king he has chosen are witnesses today that you have found me to be completely innocent.”
“Yes, the Lord is our witness,” they answered.
6 Samuel continued, “The Lord is the one who chose Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors out of Egypt. 7 Now stand where you are, and I will accuse you before the Lord by reminding you of all the mighty actions the Lord did to save you and your ancestors. 8 When Jacob and his family went to Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, your ancestors cried to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron, who brought them out of Egypt and settled them in this land. 9 But the people forgot the Lord their God, and so he let the Philistines and the king of Moab and Sisera, commander of the army of the city of Hazor, fight against your ancestors and conquer them. 10 Then they cried to the Lord for help and said, ‘We have sinned, because we turned away from you, Lord, and worshiped the idols of Baal and Astarte. Rescue us from our enemies, and we will worship you!’ 11 And the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and finally me. Each of us rescued you from your enemies, and you lived in safety. 12 But when you saw that King Nahash of Ammon was about to attack you, you rejected the Lord as your king and said to me, ‘We want a king to rule us.’
13 “Now here is the king you chose; you asked for him, and now the Lord has given him to you. 14 All will go well with you if you honor the Lord your God, serve him, listen to him, and obey his commands, and if you and your king follow him. 15 But if you do not listen to the Lord but disobey his commands, he will be against you and your king. 16 So then, stand where you are, and you will see the great thing which the Lord is going to do. 17 It's the dry season, isn't it? But I will pray, and the Lord will send thunder and rain. When this happens, you will realize that you committed a great sin against the Lord when you asked him for a king.”
18 So Samuel prayed, and on that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. Then all the people became afraid of the Lord and of Samuel, 19 and they said to Samuel, “Please, sir, pray to the Lord your God for us, so that we won't die. We now realize that, besides all our other sins, we have sinned by asking for a king.”
20 “Don't be afraid,” Samuel answered. “Even though you have done such an evil thing, do not turn away from the Lord, but serve him with all your heart. 21 Don't go after false gods; they cannot help you or save you, for they are not real. 22 The Lord has made a solemn promise, and he will not abandon you, for he has decided to make you his own people. 23 As for me, the Lord forbid that I should sin against him by no longer praying for you. Instead, I will teach you what is good and right for you to do. 24 Obey the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Remember the great things he has done for you. 25 But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be destroyed.”
Samuēla atvadu runa
1 Samuēls teica visam Israēlam: “Redzi, es esmu jūs paklausījis – visam, ko jūs man teicāt, un esmu iecēlis jums ķēniņu. 2 Nu, redzi, šis ir ķēniņš, kas jūs vada! Bet es esmu vecs un sirms, un mani dēli ir te pie jums. Es esmu vadījis jūs kopš savas jaunības līdz šai dienai. 3 Te es! Atbildiet man Kunga un viņa svaidītā priekšā: kura vērsi es esmu ņēmis? Kura ēzeli es esmu ņēmis? Kam esmu ko izspiedis? Kuru esmu apspiedis? No kura esmu pieņēmis izlīguma maksu, lai pievērtu acis? – un es jums to atlīdzināšu!” 4 Un viņi sacīja: “Tu neesi mums izspiedis un neesi mūs apspiedis, un ne no viena neesi neko ņēmis.” 5 Tad viņš tiem teica: “Kungs ir liecinieks pret jums, un viņa svaidītais šodien ir liecinieks, ka jūs pie manis neko neesat atraduši.” Un viņi atbildēja: “Liecinieks!”
6 Samuēls teica ļaudīm: “Kungs ir tas, kurš iecēla Mozu un Āronu un paņēma jūsu tēvus no Ēģiptes zemes. 7 Tad nu stājieties, un es tiesāšos ar jums Kunga priekšā pēc visas Kunga taisnības, ko viņš darījis jums un jūsu tēviem. 8 Kad Jēkabs nonāca Ēģiptē un jūsu tēvi brēca uz Kungu, Kungs sūtīja Mozu un Āronu, kuri izveda jūsu tēvus no Ēģiptes un nomitināja šeit. 9 Bet tie aizmirsa Kungu, savu Dievu, un viņš tos pārdeva Sīsram, Hācoras karaspēka virspavēlniekam, un filistiešiem, un Moāba ķēniņam, un viņi karoja pret tiem. 10 Tad viņi brēca uz Kungu: mēs esam grēkojuši, jo Kungu mēs atstājām un kalpojām baāliem un aštartēm, bet nu atbrīvo mūs no mūsu ienaidniekiem un mēs kalposim tev. 11 Tad Kungs sūtīja Jerubaalu un Bedānu, un Jiftāhu, un Samuēlu un atbrīvoja jūs no ienaidniekiem, kas bija jums visapkārt, un jūs dzīvojāt drošībā. 12 Bet, kad jūs redzējāt, ka amoniešu ķēniņš Nāhāšs nāk pret jums, jūs man teicāt: nē, lai ķēniņš valda pār mums! Taču jūsu ķēniņš ir Kungs, jūsu Dievs! 13 Nu, redzi, šis ir ķēniņš, kuru jūs izvēlējāties, kuru prasījāt. Redzi, Kungs ir devis jums ķēniņu! 14 Ja jūs bīsieties Kunga, viņam kalposiet un viņu klausīsiet, nesacelsieties pret Kunga teikto, jūs būsiet sekojuši Kungam, savam Dievam, gan jūs, gan jūsu ķēniņš, kas pār jums valda. 15 Bet, ja jūs neklausīsiet Kungu, sacelsieties pret Kunga teikto, Kunga roka būs pret jums – tāpat kā pret jūsu tēviem. 16 Taču tagad stāviet un skatiet tās lielās lietas, ko Kungs dara, jums redzot! 17 Vai pašlaik nav kviešu pļauja? Bet es saukšu Kungu, un viņš dos pērkonu un lietu! Tad ziniet un redziet, ka Kungs par milzīgu ļaunumu uzskata to, ko jūs esat darījuši, prasīdami sev ķēniņu.”
18 Un Samuēls sauca Kungu, un Kungs tajā pašā dienā deva pērkonu un lietu, un visa tauta ļoti bijās Kunga un Samuēla. 19 Visa tauta teica Samuēlam: “Lūdz par saviem kalpiem Kungu, savu Dievu, ka nemirstam, jo visiem saviem grēkiem esam pievienojuši vēl lielāku ļaunumu, prasīdami sev ķēniņu.”
20 Samuēls teica tautai: “Nebīstieties! Jūs gan esat darījuši ļaunu, taču nenovērsieties no sekošanas Kungam un kalpojiet Kungam no visas sirds. 21 Nedzenieties pakaļ tukšībai, kas nedod labumu un neglābj, jo tā ir tukšība! 22 Kungs nepametīs savu tautu, jo liels ir viņa vārds, un Kungam labpaticis darīt jūs par savu tautu. 23 Bet es – pasargi, Dievs, ka es grēkotu pret Kungu un pārstātu lūgt par jums! Es jums mācīšu labo un taisno ceļu. 24 Tikai bīstieties Kunga un kalpojiet viņam uzticībā no visas sirds, jo, redzi, kādas varenas lietas viņš jums darījis! 25 Bet, ja jūs darīsiet ļaunu, jūs zudīsiet kopā ar savu ķēniņu!”
