8 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges for the Israelites. [ a ] 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel. The name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba town. 3 But Samuel's sons did not live in a good way, as Samuel had done. They took money from people in ways that were not honest. They accepted bribes so that they did not judge in a fair way.
4 So all of Israel's leaders went together to meet Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, ‘You are old. Your sons do not live in the way that you have done. All the other nations have kings to lead them. So choose a king to rule over us, like they have.’
6 When Israel's leaders said, ‘Choose a king who will lead us,’ Samuel was not happy. So he prayed to the Lord . 7 The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to everything that the people are saying to you. I myself should be their king. So it is not you that they refuse to accept. It is me that they do not accept to be their king. 8 They are doing what they have always done. Since I brought them out of Egypt they have continued to turn away from me. They have chosen to serve other gods. Now they are turning against you in the same way. 9 So do what they are asking you to do. But warn them about what will happen. Tell them how their kings will rule over them.’
10 Samuel spoke to the people who had asked him to give them a king. He told them everything that the Lord had said to him. 11 Samuel said to them, ‘This is how the king will rule over you: He will take your sons to be his soldiers. They will ride his horses and they will drive his chariots. They will have to run in front of his own chariot. 12 The king will choose some of your sons to be officers in his army. Some will be leaders of 1,000 soldiers. Others will be leaders of 50 soldiers. Some of your sons will have to plough the king's fields. They will have to cut his crops at harvest time. They will have to make weapons for the king to fight wars. They will have to fix his chariots. 13 The king will take your daughters to serve him. They will have to make perfume for him. They will also have to cook and bake bread for him. 14 The king will take your best fields, vines and olive trees away from you. He will give all these to his own officers. 15 He will take a tenth part of all your seeds and grapes. He will give them to his officers and servants. 16 He will take your male and female servants for himself. He will take your best cows and your donkeys. He will use them for his own work. 17 He will take a tenth of all your sheep and your goats. You yourselves will become his servants too. 18 Then you will complain loudly to the Lord about your king that you have chosen to lead you. But the Lord will not answer you when you do that.’
19 But the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, ‘No! We want a king to rule us. 20 We want to be like all the other nations! We want a king to rule us. He will be our leader when we go to fight our enemies.’
21 Samuel listened to everything that the people said. Then he told the Lord about it all. 22 The Lord said to Samuel, ‘You must do what they want. You must give a king to them.’
Then Samuel told Israel's people, ‘Return to your own towns, each of you.’
8 When Samuel was old, he appointed his sons to be judges for Israel. 2 Samuel’s first son was named Joel. His second son was named Abijah. Joel and Abijah were judges in Beersheba. 3 But Samuel’s sons did not live the same way he did. Joel and Abijah accepted bribes. They took money secretly and changed their decisions in court. They cheated people in court. 4 So all the elders of Israel met together and went to Ramah to meet with Samuel. 5 The elders said to Samuel, “You’re old, and your sons don’t live right. They are not like you. Now, give us a king to rule us like all the other nations.”
6 So the elders asked for a king to lead them. Samuel thought this was a bad idea, so he prayed to the Lord . 7 The Lord told Samuel, “Do what the people tell you. They have not rejected you. They have rejected me. They don’t want me to be their king. 8 They are doing the same thing they have always done. I took them out of Egypt, but they left me and served other gods. They are doing the same to you. 9 So listen to the people and do what they say. But give them a warning. Tell the people what a king will do to them. Tell them how a king rules people.”
10 Those people asked for a king. So Samuel told them everything the Lord said. 11 Samuel said, “If you have a king ruling over you, this is what he will do: He will take away your sons and force them to serve him. He will force them to be soldiers—they must fight from his chariots and become horse soldiers in his army. Your sons will become guards running in front of the king’s chariot.
12 “A king will force your sons to become soldiers. He will choose which of your sons will be officers over 1000 men and which will be officers over 50 men.
“A king will force some of your sons to plow his fields and gather his harvest. He will force some of your sons to make weapons for war and to make things for his chariots.
13 “A king will take your daughters and force some of them to make perfume for him and some to cook and bake for him.
14 “A king will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves. He will take them from you and give them to his officers. 15 He will take one-tenth of your grain and grapes, and he will give them to his officers and servants.
16 “A king will take your men and women servants. He will take your best cattle [ a ] and your donkeys. He will use them all for his own work. 17 He will take one-tenth of your flocks.
“And you yourselves will become slaves of this king. 18 When that time comes, you will cry because of the king you chose. But the Lord won’t answer you at that time.”
19 But the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, “No, we want a king to rule over us. 20 Then we will be the same as all the other nations. Our king will lead us. He will go before us and fight our battles.”
21 Samuel listened to the people and then repeated their words to the Lord . 22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel told the Israelites, “You will have a king. Now go home.”
8 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord .
7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord .
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
8 Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that ( A ) he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in ( B ) Beersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they ( C ) took bribes and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ( D ) Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ( E ) appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the matter was [ a ] ( F ) displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And ( G ) Samuel prayed to the Lord . 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because ( H ) they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them. 8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well. 9 Now then, listen to their voice; ( I ) however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of ( J ) the [ b ] practice of the king who will reign over them.”
10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to ( K ) the people who had asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “ ( L ) This will be the [ c ] practice of the king who will reign over you: ( M ) he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and ( N ) they will run before his chariots. 12 ( O ) He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to [ d ] do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 ( P ) He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants. 16 He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and [ e ] use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 18 Then ( Q ) you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but ( R ) the Lord will not answer you on that day.”
19 Yet the people ( S ) refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 ( T ) so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, ( U ) he [ f ] repeated them in the Lord ’ s hearing. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “ ( V ) Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”
8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed ( A ) his sons as Israel’s leaders. [ a ] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, ( B ) and they served at Beersheba. ( C ) 3 But his sons ( D ) did not follow his ways. They turned aside ( E ) after dishonest gain and accepted bribes ( F ) and perverted ( G ) justice.
4 So all the elders ( H ) of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ( I ) 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king ( J ) to lead [ b ] ( K ) us, such as all the other nations ( L ) have.”
6 But when they said, “Give us a king ( M ) to lead us,” this displeased ( N ) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord . 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen ( O ) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, ( P ) but they have rejected me as their king. ( Q ) 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking ( R ) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know ( S ) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10 Samuel told ( T ) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take ( U ) your sons and make them serve ( V ) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. ( W ) 12 Some he will assign to be commanders ( X ) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your ( Y ) fields and vineyards ( Z ) and olive groves and give them to his attendants. ( AA ) 15 He will take a tenth ( AB ) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle [ c ] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer ( AC ) you in that day. ( AD ) ”
19 But the people refused ( AE ) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want ( AF ) a king ( AG ) over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, ( AH ) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated ( AI ) it before the Lord . 22 The Lord answered, “Listen ( AJ ) to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
