1. Samuel said to all Israel: "Listen: I have done everything you asked of me and have placed a king over you.
2. The king will lead you now. I am old and gray, though my sons are still with you, and I’ve been your leader since I was young until now.
3. So I’m here: Tell the truth about me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Have I ever stolen someone’s ox? Have I ever taken someone’s donkey? Have I ever oppressed or mistreated anyone? Have I ever taken bribes from someone and looked the other way about something? Tell me the truth. I will make it right."
4. "You haven’t oppressed or mistreated us, and you’ve never taken anything from anyone," the people answered.
5. Samuel replied, "The Lord and his anointed one are witnesses against you today that you haven’t found anything in my possession.""Agreed," they said.
6. Then Samuel told the people: “The witness is indeed the Lord, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt.
7. So now stand here, and I will judge you in the Lord’s presence because of all the Lord’s righteous acts that he has done for you and your ancestors:
8. “When Jacob entered Egypt, the Egyptians oppressed them. So your ancestors cried out to the Lord. The Lord then sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them here.
9. But your ancestors forgot the Lord their God, so he handed them over to Sisera the commander of Hazor’s army, and to the Philistines, and to the Moabite king, all of whom fought against them.
10. Then your ancestors cried out to the Lord and said: ‘We have sinned because we have abandoned the Lord and have worshipped the Baals and the Astartes. But now deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will worship you.’
11. So the Lord sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samson, and he delivered you from the power of your enemies on every side. And you lived safe and secure.