< 1 Samuel 8 >

1 And it comes to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he makes his sons judges over Israel.
And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 And the name of his firstborn son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba:
And these [are] the names of his sons; Joel the firstborn, and the name of the second Abia, judges in Bersabee.
3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.
And his sons did not walk in his way; and they turned aside after gain, and took gifts, and perverted judgements.
4 And all [the] elderly of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Samuel at Ramath,
And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,
5 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.”
and they said to him, Behold, you are grown old, and your sons walk not in your way; and now set over us a king to judge us, as also the other nations [have].
6 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.
And the thing [was] evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7 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.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear the voice of the people, in whatever they shall say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from reigning over them.
8 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.
According to all their doings which they have done to me, from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day, even [as] they have deserted me, and served other gods, so they do also to you.
9 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.”
And now listen to their voice; only you shall solemnly testify to them, and you shall describe to them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel speaks all the words of YHWH to the people who are asking [for] a king from him,
And Samuel spoke every word of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king.
11 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;
And he said, This shall be the manner of the king that shall rule over you: he shall take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and amongst his horsemen, and running before his chariots,
12 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.
and [his manner shall be] to make them to himself captains of hundreds and captains of thousands; and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and prepare his instruments of war, and the implements of his chariots.
13 And he takes your daughters for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers;
And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.
14 and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards—he takes the best, and has given to his servants.
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good olive yards, and give them to his servants.
15 And he tithes your seed and your vineyards, and has given to his eunuchs, and to his servants.
And he will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards, and give [it] to his eunuchs, and to his servants.
16 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;
And he will take your servants, and your handmaids, and your good herds and your asses, and will take the tenth of them for his works.
17 he tithes your flock, and you are for servants to him.
And he will tithe your flocks; and you shall be his servants.
18 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.”
And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen to yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because you have chosen to yourselves a king.
19 And the people refuse to listen to the voice of Samuel, and say, “No, but a king is over us,
But the people would not listen to Samuel; and they said to him, Nay, but there shall be a king over us.
20 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.”
An we also will be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and shall go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel hears all the words of the people, and speaks them in the ears of YHWH;
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and spoke them in the ears of the Lord.
22 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.”
And the Lord said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and appoint them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let each man depart to his city.

< 1 Samuel 8 >