¹⁹ Then all the people said to Samuel, “^(A)Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins ^(B)this evil by asking for ourselves a king.” ²⁰ And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet ^(C)do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart. ²¹ And you must not turn aside, for then you would go after ^(D)meaningless things which cannot profit and cannot deliver, because they are meaningless. ²² For ^(E)Yahweh will not abandon His people ^(F)on account of His great name, because Yahweh ^(G)has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. ²³ Moreover, as for me, ^(H)far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you; but ^(I)I will instruct you in the good and upright way. ^24 (J)Only ^[a]fear Yahweh and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for see ^(K)what great things He has done for you.

⁴ Perhaps Yahweh your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to ^[a](A)reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore, lift up a prayer for ^(B)the remnant that is left.’”