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Listen! You now have a king to be your leader, instead of me. I am old and my hair is grey. My sons are here with you. I have been your leader from the time when I was young until now. Look at me. I stand here where the Lord and his chosen king can see me. Speak now if I have done any wrong thing against you. Have I taken anyone's cow or anyone's donkey? Have I cheated anyone? Have I been cruel to anyone? Have I received bribes from anyone to say that they are not guilty? If I have done any of those things, tell me! Then I will pay back my debt.’

The Israelites answered, ‘You have not cheated us. You have not been cruel to us. You have not robbed any of us.’

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Now you have a king as your leader.(A) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons(B) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.(C) Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey(D) have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe(E) to make me shut my eyes? If I have done(F) any of these things, I will make it right.”(G)

“You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

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