1 Samuel 8

1 When Samuel was nowe become olde, he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.

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

2 (And the name of his eldest sonne was Ioel, and the name of the second Abiah) euen Iudges in Beer-sheba.

Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee.

3 And his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and tooke rewards, and peruerted the iudgement.

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

4 Wherefore all the Elders of Israel gathered them together, and came to Samuel vnto Ramah,

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

5 And said vnto him, Beholde, thou art olde, and thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes: make vs nowe a King to iudge vs like all nations.

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.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Giue vs a King to iudge vs: and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord.

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.

7 And the Lord said vnto Samuel, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee: for they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me away, that I should not reigne ouer the.

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.

8 As they haue euer done since I brought them out of Egypt euen vnto this day, (and haue forsaken me, and serued other gods) euen so doe they vnto thee.

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.

9 Nowe therefore hearken vnto their voyce: howbeit yet testifie vnto them, and shewe them the maner of ye King that shall reigne ouer them.

Now therefore hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.

10 So Samuel told all the wordes of the Lord vnto the people that asked a King of him.

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

11 And he saide, This shall be the maner of the King that shall reigne ouer you: he will take your sonnes, and appoint them to his charets, and to be his horsemen, and some shall runne before his charet.

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,

12 Also he will make them his captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer fifties, and to eare his ground, and to reape his haruest, and to make instruments of warre, and the thinges that serue for his charets.

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.

13 He will also take your daughters and make them apoticaries, and cookes, and bakers.

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

14 And he will take your fieldes, and your vineyardes, and your best Oliue trees, and giue them to his seruants.

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

15 And he will take the tenth of your seede, and of your vineyards, and giue it to his Eunuches, and to his seruants.

Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give his eunuchs and servants.

16 And he will take your men seruants, and your maide seruants, and the chiefe of your yong men, and your asses, and put them to his worke.

Your servants also and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses he will take away, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheepe, and ye shall be his seruants.

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

18 And ye shall crie out at that day, because of your King, whom ye haue chosen you, and the Lord will not heare you at that day.

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.

19 But the people would not heare the voyce of Samuel, but did say, Nay, but there shall be a King ouer vs.

But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said: Nay: but there shall be a king over us.

20 And we also will be like all other nations, and our King shall iudge vs, and goe out before vs, and fight our battels.

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.

21 Therefore when Samuel heard all ye wordes of ye people, he rehearsed the in ye eares of ye Lord.

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

22 And the Lord saide to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe euery man vnto his citie.

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.