1 Samuel 8

1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be 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 Abia, judges in Bersabee.

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

3 And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and 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 Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled, came to Samuel to Ramatha.

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

5 And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all 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, that they should say: 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 And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not 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 According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee.

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 hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall 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 Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,

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

11 And said: This will be the right of the king, that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen to run before his 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 of them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms 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 Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.

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

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and 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 the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give his eunuchs and servants.

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

16 Your servants also and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses he will take away, and put 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 Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.

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

18 And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves. and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.

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 would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said: Nay: but 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 also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and tight our battles 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 rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.

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

22 And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to his 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.”