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 12:8 When Jacob entered Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord. The Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
1 tn Heb “Look, I have listened to your voice.”
2 tn Heb “to all which you said to me.”
3 tn Heb “and I have installed a king over you.”
4 tn Heb “anointed [one].”
5 tn The words “tell me” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
6 tn Heb “anointed [one].”
7 tn Heb “that you have not found anything in my hand.”
8 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 7, 8).
9 tn Heb “and I will enter into judgment with you” (NRSV similar); NAB “and I shall arraign you.”
10 tn Heb “all the just actions which he has done with you and with your fathers.”