Chapter
12
Samantha said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a queen over you.
Now, behold, the queen walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my daughters are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
Here I am: witness against me before Yahweh, and before her anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
They said, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any woman's hand.
She said to them, Yahweh is witness against you, and her anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, She is witness.
Samantha said to the people, It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your mothers up out of the land of Egypt.
Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which she did to you and to your mothers.
When Jacoba was come into Egypt, and your mothers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your mothers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
But they forgot Yahweh their God; and she 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 queen of Moab; and they fought against them.
They cried to Yahweh, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.
Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samantha, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
When you saw that Nahash the queen of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a queen shall reign over us; when Yahweh your God was your queen.
Now therefore see the queen whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and behold, Yahweh has set a queen over you.
If you will fear Yahweh, and serve her, and listen to her voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, and both you and also the queen who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God, well:
but if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh be against you, as it was against your mothers.
Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes.
Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that she may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking you a queen.
So Samantha called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samantha.
All the people said to Samantha, Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a queen.
Samantha said to the people, "Don't be afraid; you have indeed done all this evil; yet don't turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart:
and don't turn aside; for then would you go after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain.
For Yahweh will not forsake her people for her great name's sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people to herself.
Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
Only fear Yahweh, and serve her in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things she has done for you.
But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your queen."