1 Samuel 8

1 And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

And it comes to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he makes his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.

And the name of his firstborn son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba:

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.

and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.

4 Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.

And all [the] elderly of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Samuel at Ramath,

5 And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”

and say to him, “Behold, you have become aged, and your sons have not walked in your ways; now, appoint a king to us, to judge us, like all the nations.”

6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel when they have said, “Give a king to us, to judge us”; and Samuel prays to YHWH.

7 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.

And YHWH says to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people, to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them.

8 In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.

According to all the works that they have done from the day of My bringing them up out of Egypt, even to this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods—so they are also doing to you.

9 Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”

And now, listen to their voice; only, surely you certainly protest to them, and have declared to them the custom of the king who reigns over them.”

10 And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.

And Samuel speaks all the words of YHWH to the people who are asking [for] a king from him,

11 And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.

and says, “This is the custom of the king who reigns over you: he takes your sons, and has appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots;

12 And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.

also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer.

13 Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.

And he takes your daughters for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers;

14 Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.

and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards—he takes the best, and has given to his servants.

15 Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.

And he tithes your seed and your vineyards, and has given to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

16 Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.

And your menservants and your maidservants, and the best of your young men and your donkeys, he takes, and has prepared for his own work;

17 Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.

he tithes your flock, and you are for servants to him.

18 And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”

And you have cried out in that day because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH does not answer you in that day.”

19 But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,

And the people refuse to listen to the voice of Samuel, and say, “No, but a king is over us,

20 and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”

and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king has judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.”

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

And Samuel hears all the words of the people, and speaks them in the ears of YHWH;

22 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”

and YHWH says to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and you have caused a king to reign over them.” And Samuel says to the men of Israel, “Go, each man, to his city.”