1 Samuel 8
1 Da Samuel var blevet gammel, satte han sine Sønner til Dommere over Israel;
When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to lead/rule the people of Israel.
2 hans førstefødte Søn hed Joel og hans anden Søn Abija; de dømte i Be'ersjeba.
They judged people’s disputes/cases in Beersheba [town].
3 Men hans Sønner vandrede ikke i hans Spor; de lod sig lede af egen Fordel, tog imod Bestikkelse og bøjede Retten.
But they were not like their father. They wanted only to get a lot of money. They accepted bribes, and they did not make honest decisions about people’s disputes/cases.
4 Da kom alle Israels Ældste sammen og begav sig til Samuel i Rama
Finally, the Israeli leaders met at Ramah [town to discuss the matter] with Samuel.
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!«
They said to him, “Listen! You are now old, and your sons are not like you. Appoint a king to rule over us, like the kings that other countries have!”
6 Men det vakte Samuels Mishag, at de sagde: »Giv os en Konge, som kan dømme os!« Og Samuel bad til HERREN.
Samuel was very unhappy with them for requesting that, so he prayed to Yahweh about it.
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.
Yahweh replied, “Do what they have requested you to do. But ([do not think/the truth is not]) that you are the one whom they are really rejecting. I have been their king, and I am the one they are really rejecting.
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.
Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have rejected me, and they have worshiped other gods. And now they are also rejecting you in the same way.
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!«
Do what they are asking you to do. But warn/tell them about how their kings will act toward them!”
10 Saa forebragte Samuel Folket, som krævede en Konge af ham, alle HERRENS Ord
So Samuel told those people what Yahweh had said.
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,
He said, “If a king rules over you, this is what he will do to you: He will force many of your sons to join the army. He will make [some of] them run in front of his chariots [to clear people out of his way].
12 og sætte dem til Tusindførere og Halvhundredførere og til at pløje og høste for ham og lave hans Krigsredskaber og Vogntøj.
[Some of] them will be commanders of his soldiers, but others will work for him like slaves. He will force some of them to plow his fields and [then later] harvest his crops. He will force others to make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13 Eders Døtre skal han tage til at blande Salver, koge og bage.
The king will take [some of] your daughters [from you and force them] to make perfumes for him and cook food for him and bake [bread for him].
14 De bedste af eders Marker, Vingaarde og Oliventræer skal han tage og give sine Folk.
He will take your best fields and vineyards and olive tree groves/orchards, and give them to his own officials.
15 Af eders Sæd og Vinhøst skal han tage Tiende og give sine Hofmænd og Tjenere.
He will take a tenth of your harvests and distribute it among the officers and servants [who work in] his [palace].
16 De bedste af eders Trælle og Trælkvinder, det bedste af eders Hornkvæg og Æsler skal han tage og bruge til sit eget Arbejde.
He will take from you your male and female servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and force them to work for him.
17 Af eders Smaakvæg skal han tage Tiende; og I selv skal blive hans Trælle.
He will take one tenth of your sheep and goats. And you will become his slaves!
18 Og naar I da til den Tid klager over eders Konge, som I har valgt eder, saa vil HERREN ikke bønhøre eder!«
When that time comes, you will complain loudly to the king, the king that you yourselves have chosen, but Yahweh will not (pay attention to/help) you.”
19 Folket vilde dog ikke rette sig efter Samuel, men sagde: »Nej, en Konge vil vi have over os,
But the people refused to pay attention to what Samuel said. They said, “We do not [care what you say]! We want a king!
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!«
We want to be like the other nations. We want a king to rule us and to lead our soldiers when they go to fight.”
21 Da Samuel havde hørt alle Folkets Ord, forebragte han HERREN dem;
When Samuel told Yahweh what the people had said,
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!«
Yahweh replied, “Do what they are telling you to do. Give them a king!” [So Samuel agreed], and then he sent the people home.
