1 Samuel 8

1 Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

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

2 The name of his first son was Joel and the name of his second Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

And the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second Abiyah: they judged in Beer-sheba'.

3 And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.

But his sons walked not in his ways, and they inclined after their own advantage, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah,

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

5 And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations.

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways: now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.

But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they may say unto thee; for not thee have they rejected, but me have they rejected, that I should not reign over them.

8 As they have done from the first, from the day when I took them out of Egypt till this day, turning away from me and worshipping other gods, so now they are acting in the same way to you.

In accordance with all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day, when they forsook me, and served other gods: so do they also unto thee.

9 Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.

And now hearken unto their voice: nevertheless thou must still solemnly forewarn them, and tell them the manner of the king that will reign over them.

10 And Samuel said all these words of the Lord to the people who were desiring a king.

And Samuel said all the words of the Lord unto the people that had asked of him a king.

11 And he said, This is the sort of king who will be your ruler: he will take your sons and make them his servants, his horsemen, and drivers of his war-carriages, and they will go running before his war-carriages;

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that will reign over you: Your sons will he take, and appoint them for himself with his chariots, and among his horsemen; and they will have to run before his chariot;

12 And he will make them captains of thousands and of fifties; some he will put to work ploughing and cutting his grain and making his instruments of war and building his war-carriages.

And to appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and to plough his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

13 Your daughters he will take to be makers of perfumes and cooks and bread-makers.

And your daughters will he take for ointment makers, and for cooks, and for bakers.

14 He will take your fields and your vine-gardens and your olive-gardens, all the best of them, and give them to his servants.

And your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, yea the best, will he take, and give them to his servants.

15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of the fruit of your vines and give it to his servants.

And of your seeds, and of your vineyards will he take the tenth, and give [the same] to his officers, and to his servants.

16 He will take your men-servants and your servant-girls, and the best of your oxen and your asses and put them to his work.

And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your best young men, and your asses will he take, and employ [them] for his work.

17 He will take a tenth of your sheep: and you will be his servants.

Of your flocks will he take the tenth: and ye yourselves will become his servants.

18 Then you will be crying out because of your king whom you have taken for yourselves; but the Lord will not give you an answer in that day.

And ye will cry out on that day because of your king whom ye will have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.

19 But the people gave no attention to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us,

Nevertheless the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but a king shall be over us;

20 So that we may be like the other nations, and so that our king may be our judge and go out before us to war.

That we also may ourselves be like all the nations: and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

21 Then Samuel, after hearing all the people had to say, went and gave an account of it to the Lord.

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them before the ears of the Lord.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.

And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and appoint them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.