1 Samuel 8

1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

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

2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.

And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

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

5 “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”

And they said to him, Behold, thou are old, and thy sons do not walk in thy ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.

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

7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.

8 Just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to thee.

9 Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

Now therefore hearken to their voice. However thou shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.

And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah to the people who asked of him a king.

11 He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them to him for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots.

12 He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his weapons of war, and to equip his chariots.

And he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties. And he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.

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

15 He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.

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 maidservants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his own use.

And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

He will take the tenth of your flocks. And ye shall be his servants.

18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.

But the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us

20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”

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 Samuel listened to all the words of the people and repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah.

22 “Listen to their voice,” the LORD said to Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Everyone must go back to his city.”

And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make for them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.