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 appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.

2 And the name of his firstborn son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges 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 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 walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

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

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

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 thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all 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 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 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: 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 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 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 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.”

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

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

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

Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his 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 best oliveyards, 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.

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

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

Your flocks also he will tithe, 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 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 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 hear the voice of Samuel, and they said: 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.”

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