1 Samuel 12:1-7

12:1 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done ¹  everything you requested. ²  I have given you a king. ³  12:2 Now look! This king walks before you. As for me, I am old and gray, though my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from the time of my youth till the present day. 12:3 Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. ⁴  Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, ⁵  and I will return it to you!”

12:4 They replied, “You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.” 12:5 He said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his chosen king ⁶  is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me.” ⁷  They said, “He is witness!”

12:6 Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is the one who chose Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors ⁸  up from the land of Egypt. 12:7 Now take your positions, so I may confront you ⁹  before the Lord regarding all the Lord’s just actions toward you and your ancestors. ¹⁰ 

[12:1]  ¹ tn Heb “Look, I have listened to your voice.”

[12:1]  ² tn Heb “to all which you said to me.”

[12:1]  ³ tn Heb “and I have installed a king over you.”

[12:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “anointed [one].”

[12:3]  ⁵ tn The words “tell me” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[12:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “anointed [one].”

[12:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “that you have not found anything in my hand.”

[12:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 7, 8).

[12:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “and I will enter into judgment with you” (NRSV similar); NAB “and I shall arraign you.”

[12:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “all the just actions which he has done with you and with your fathers.”