1 Samuel 12:12 — Compare Translations

27 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

`And ye see that Nahash king of the Bene-Ammon hath come against you, and ye say to me, Nay, but a king doth reign over us; and Jehovah your God [is] your king!

English ASV

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your God was your king.

English Amplified

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, No! A king shall reign over us--when the Lord your God was your King!

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, No! A king shall reign over us–when the Lord your God was your King!

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king reign over us’ — even though the LORD your God is your king.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

But when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your God was your king.

English EASY 2024

But then you saw that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, was coming to attack you. So you said to me, “Now we want a king to rule over us.” You forgot that the Lord your God is your king.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

But then you saw King Nahash of the Ammonites coming to fight against you. You said, 'No, we want a king to rule over us!' You said that, even though the Lord your God was already your king.

And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

But when you saw that King Nahash of Ammon was about to attack you, you rejected the Lord as your king and said to me, ‘We want a king to rule us.’

English God's Word - GW 1995

But when you saw King Nahash of Ammon coming to attack you, you told me, 'No, a king should rule over us,' though the Lord your God was your king.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, 'No, we must have a king rule over us'-- even though the LORD your God is your king.

English KJV 1611

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.

English LSB

But you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ although Yahweh your God was your king.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

“When you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king will reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

"When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' although the LORD your God was your king.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Yet, when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, advancing against you, you said to me, 'Not so, but a king must rule us,' even though the LORD your God is your king.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

“When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king will rule over us’ — even though the LORD your God is your king!

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

"But then you saw that Nahash, the king of Ammon, was about to attack you. So you said to me, 'No! We want a king to rule over us.' You said it even though the Lord your God was your king.

English NIV

"But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us'-even though the LORD your God was your king.

English NKJ 1982

And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king.

English NLT

"But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the LORD your God was already your king.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

But when you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' though the LORD your God was your king.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

“But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you. But the Lord your God was already your King, for he has always been your King.

English Tyndale 1537

And for all that when you saw that Nahas the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: not so, a king shall reign over us, when yet the LORD your God was your king.