16 “Now then, stand stilla and seeb this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvestc now? I will calld on the Lord to send thundere and rain.f And you will realize what an evilg thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,h and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awei of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 The people all said to Samuel, “Prayj to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,k for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;l yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after uselessm idols.n They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sakeo of his great namep the Lord will not rejectq his people, because the Lord was pleased to maker you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to prays for you. And I will teacht you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fearu the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;v considerw what greatx things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persisty in doing evil, both you and your kingz will perish.”a