1 Samuel 8

1 Da Samuel var blevet gammel, satte han sine Sønner til Dommere over Israel;

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 hans førstefødte Søn hed Joel og hans anden Søn Abija; de dømte i Be'ersjeba.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: [they were] judges in Beer-sheba.

3 Men hans Sønner vandrede ikke i hans Spor; de lod sig lede af egen Fordel, tog imod Bestikkelse og bøjede Retten.

And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Da kom alle Israels Ældste sammen og begav sig til Samuel i Rama

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 og sagde til ham: »Se, du er blevet gammel, og dine Sønner vandrer ikke i dit Spor. Sæt derfor en Konge over os til at dømme os, ligesom alle de andre Folk har det!«

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 Men det vakte Samuels Mishag, at de sagde: »Giv os en Konge, som kan dømme os!« Og Samuel bad til HERREN.

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

7 Da sagde HERREN til Samuel: »Ret dig i et og alt efter, hvad Folket siger, thi det er ikke dig, de vrager, men det er mig, de vrager som deres Konge.

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 Ganske som de har handlet imod mig, lige siden jeg førte dem ud af Ægypten og indtil denne Dag, idet de forlod mig og dyrkede andre Guder, saaledes handler de ogsaa imod dig.

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 Men ret dig nu efter dem; dog skal du indtrængende advare dem og lade dem vide, hvad Ret den Konge skal have, som skal herske over dem!«

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 Saa forebragte Samuel Folket, som krævede en Konge af ham, alle HERRENS Ord

And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

11 og sagde: »Denne Ret skal den Konge have, som skal herske over eder: Eders Sønner skal han tage og sætte ved sin Vogn og sine Heste, saa de maa løbe foran hans Vogn,

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 og sætte dem til Tusindførere og Halvhundredførere og til at pløje og høste for ham og lave hans Krigsredskaber og Vogntøj.

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 Eders Døtre skal han tage til at blande Salver, koge og bage.

And he will take your daughters [to be] confectionaries, and [to be] cooks, and [to be] bakers.

14 De bedste af eders Marker, Vingaarde og Oliventræer skal han tage og give sine Folk.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his servants.

15 Af eders Sæd og Vinhøst skal han tage Tiende og give sine Hofmænd og Tjenere.

And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 De bedste af eders Trælle og Trælkvinder, det bedste af eders Hornkvæg og Æsler skal han tage og bruge til sit eget Arbejde.

And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work.

17 Af eders Smaakvæg skal han tage Tiende; og I selv skal blive hans Trælle.

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 Og naar I da til den Tid klager over eders Konge, som I har valgt eder, saa vil HERREN ikke bønhøre eder!«

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 Folket vilde dog ikke rette sig efter Samuel, men sagde: »Nej, en Konge vil vi have over os,

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

20 vi vil have det som alle de andre Folk; vor Konge skal dømme os og drage ud i Spidsen for os og føre vore Krige!«

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 Da Samuel havde hørt alle Folkets Ord, forebragte han HERREN dem;

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

22 og HERREN sagde til Samuel: »Ret dig efter dem og sæt en Konge over dem!« Da sagde Samuel til Israels Mænd: »Gaa hjem, hver til sin By!«

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.