12:1 And Shemuel (שׁמוּאל) said to all Yisrael, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you.
12:2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day.
12:3 Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before YEHOVAH (יהוה), and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
12:4 And they said, you have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken ought of any man's hand.
12:5 And he said to them, YEHOVAH (יהוה) [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, [He is] witness.
12:6 And Shemuel (שׁמוּאל) said to the people, [It is] YEHOVAH (יהוה) that advanced Mosheh and Aharon, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Mitzrayim.
12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before YEHOVAH (יהוה) of all the righteous acts of YEHOVAH (יהוה), which he did to you and to your fathers.
12:8 When Yaakov was come into Mitzrayim, and your fathers cried to YEHOVAH (יהוה), then YEHOVAH (יהוה) sent Mosheh and Aharon, which brought forth your fathers out of Mitzrayim, and made them dwell in this place.
12:9 And when they forgat YEHOVAH (יהוה) their Elohim (אלהים), he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Pelishtim , and into the hand of the king of Mo'av, and they fought against them.
12:10 And they cried to YEHOVAH (יהוה), and said,
We have sinned, because we have forsaken YEHOVAH (יהוה), and have served Baalim and Ashtarot: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve your.
12:11 And YEHOVAH (יהוה) sent Yeruv-baal, and Bedan, and Yeftah, and Shemuel (שׁמוּאל), and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
12:12 And when ye saw that Nachash the king of the benai Ammon came against you, ye said to me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when YEHOVAH (יהוה) your Elohim (אלהים) [was] your king.
12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, [and] whom ye have desired! and, behold, YEHOVAH (יהוה) has set a king over you.
12:14 If ye will fear YEHOVAH (יהוה), and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of YEHOVAH (יהוה), then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following YEHOVAH (יהוה) your Elohim (אלהים):
12:15 But if ye will not obey the voice of YEHOVAH (יהוה), but rebel against the commandment of YEHOVAH (יהוה), then shall the hand of YEHOVAH (יהוה) be against you, as [it was] against your fathers.
12:16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which YEHOVAH (יהוה) will do before your eyes.
12:17 [Is it] not wheat harvest to day? I will call to YEHOVAH (יהוה), and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done in the sight of YEHOVAH (יהוה), in asking you a king.
12:18 So Shemuel (שׁמוּאל) called to YEHOVAH (יהוה); and YEHOVAH (יהוה) sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared YEHOVAH (יהוה) and Shemuel (שׁמוּאל).
12:19 And all the people said to Shemuel (שׁמוּאל), Pray for your avadim to YEHOVAH (יהוה) your Elohim (אלהים), that we die not: for we have added to all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.
12:20 And Shemuel (שׁמוּאל) said to the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following YEHOVAH (יהוה), but serve YEHOVAH (יהוה) with all your heart;
12:21 And turn ye not aside: for [then should ye go] after vain [things], which cannot profit nor deliver; for they [are] vain.
12:22 For YEHOVAH (יהוה) will not forsake his people for His great Name's sake: because it has pleased YEHOVAH (יהוה) to make you His people.
12:23 Moreover as for me, Chalilah (Far be it) that I should sin against YEHOVAH (יהוה) in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
12:24 Only fear YEHOVAH (יהוה), and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great [things] he has done for you.
12:25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
1Sa 12:22 Keil and Delitzch commentary
“For (כִּי gives the reason for the main thought of the previous verse, 'Fear not, but serve Adonay,' etc.) Adonay will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; for it has pleased Adonay (for הֹואִיל, see at Deu_1:5) to make you His people.” The emphasis lies upon His. This the Israelites could only be, when they proved themselves to be the people of Elohim, by serving Yehovah with all their heart. “For His great name's sake,” i.e., for the great name which He had acquired in the sight of all the nations, by the marvellous guidance of Israel thus far, to preserve it against misapprehension and blasphemy (see at Jos_7:9).