1 Samuel 8

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

It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made 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.

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

3 And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

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

4 Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled, came to Samuel to Ramatha.

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

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 they said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways: now make us a king 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.

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

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.

The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king 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 which they have done to me 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 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.

Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them."

10 Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,

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

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,

He said, "This will be the way 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 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.

And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands, and commanders of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and to make his implements of war, and the equipment of his chariots.

13 Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.

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

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

He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them 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.

He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, 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.

He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best cattle, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

17 Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.

He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.

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.

You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will 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.

But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; but we will have a king 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.

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 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.

Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.

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.

The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."