1 Samuel 12:3

1 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.

2 Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

4 “You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

5 Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”
KJV
Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, 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.
WEB
Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
ASV
Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, 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 taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
DARBY
Here I am: testify against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I injured? or of whose hand have I received any ransom and blinded mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it to you.
BLB
Behold, witness against me before YHWH and before His anointed. The ox of whom have I taken? Or the donkey of whom have I taken? Or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? Or from the hand of whom have I received a bribe and hidden my eyes with it? And I will restore it to you⁺.”
ÅB
Her står jeg! Vitne nå mot meg for Herren og for hans salvede: Er det noen jeg har fratatt hans okse eller hans esel? Er det noen jeg har gjort urett mot eller undertrykt? Er det noen jeg har tatt imot gaver av, så jeg skulle lukke mine øyne til for noe? Om så er, vil jeg gi dere vederlag for det.
OTB
Her er jeg. Vitne mot meg for Herren og for Hans salvede: Hvem sin okse har jeg tatt? Eller hvem sin esel har jeg tatt? Hvem har jeg bedratt? Hvem har jeg undertrykt? Fra hvem sin hånd har jeg tatt bestikkelser for å blinde mine øyne med det? Vitne mot meg, så skal jeg gi det tilbake til dere.»
B1930
Her står jeg! Vidne nu mot mig for Herren og for hans salvede: Er det nogen jeg har fratatt hans okse eller hans asen? Er det nogen jeg har gjort urett mot eller undertrykt? Er det nogen jeg har tatt imot gaver av, så jeg skulde lukke mine øine til for noget? Om så er, vil jeg gi eder vederlag for det.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Acts 20:33

    I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 16:15

    Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.”

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 16:19

    Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 24:6

    So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

    Read in context
  • 1 Peter 5:2

    Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 12:5

    Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 10:1

    Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

    Read in context
  • Exodus 23:8

    Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

    Read in context