KJV ORIGINAL
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And they said, 'You have not cheated us or treated us harshly, and you have never taken anything that belongs to anyone else.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The people are testifying that Samuel served as their leader with complete honesty and integrity, never taking advantage of his position for personal gain.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during Samuel's farewell speech as he transitions leadership to King Saul. Samuel is publicly asking the people to testify whether he has been corrupt or abused his authority during his years as judge and prophet over Israel. This was a common practice in ancient times when leaders stepped down, allowing them to clear their name publicly.
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