1 Samuel 12:4

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

1 Samuel 12:4 in Other Translations

4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

4 They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand."

4 “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”

4 "Oh no," they said, "never. You've never done any of that - never abused us, never lined your own pockets."

4 "You haven't wronged us, you haven't mistreated us, and you haven't taken anything from anyone's hand," they responded.

1 Samuel 12:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 12:4

And they said
One in the name of the rest, or they all cried out as one man:

thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us;
had done them no wrong, neither privately nor publicly, by fraud or by force:

neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand;
as a gift, present, or bribe, to fit your his cause. Some would infer hence that be took nothing of them for his support and maintenance, and that he lived upon his own substance; but that is not likely or reasonable; it was but just that they should support him and his family suitably to his character as a judge, whose whole life was spent in their service.

1 Samuel 12:4 In-Context

2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.

3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”

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

5 Samuel said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is witness,” they said.

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt.