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 judges to Israel;

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

and the name of his firstborn son was, Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah, —they were judges in Beer-sheba.

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.

Howbeit his sons walked not in his ways, but stooped to extortion, —and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

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

So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, —and came unto Samuel, to Ramah;

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 said unto him—Lo! thou, art old, and, thy sons, walk not in thy ways: Now, appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

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.

But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give unto us a king to judge us. So Samuel prayed unto Yahweh.

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 Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they shall say unto thee, —for, not thee, have they rejected, but, me, have they rejected, from being king 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 the doings which they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even until this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so, are they doing even 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, —save that thou, enter protest, against them, and tell them the manner of the king who will reign over them.

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

So then Samuel spake all the words of Yahweh unto the people, who were asking 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, will be the manner of the king who will reign over you, —Your sons, will he take and appoint for himself, as his charioteers and as his horsemen, and they shall 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 for himself, princes of thousands, and princes of fifties, —and to plough his fields, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and the instruments of his chariots;

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

And, your daughters, will he take, —as perfumers and as cooks, and as bakers;

14 and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards—he takes the best, and has given to his servants.

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

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

And, your seed, and your vineyards, will he tithe, and give to his courtiers 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, your men-servants, and your maidservants, and your oxen, even the goodliest, and your asses, will he take, —and put them to his work;

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

Your flocks, will he tithe, —and, ye yourselves, shall become 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.”

Then will ye make outcry, in that day, because of your king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, —and Yahweh will not answer you, in that day.

19 And the people refuse to listen to the voice of Samuel, and say, “No, but a king is over us,

But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel, —and they said—Nay! but, a king, shall be 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.”

so shall, even we, become like all the nations, —and our king shall judge us, and go forth 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 spake them in the ears of Yahweh.

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 Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye, every man to his own city.