1 Samuel 8

1 It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to lead/rule the people of Israel.

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

They judged people’s disputes/cases in Beersheba [town].

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

But they were not like their father. They wanted only to get a lot of money. They accepted bribes, and they did not make honest decisions about people’s disputes/cases.

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

Finally, the Israeli leaders met at Ramah [town to discuss the matter] with Samuel.

5 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."

They said to him, “Listen! You are now old, and your sons are not like you. Appoint a king to rule over us, like the kings that other countries have!”

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

Samuel was very unhappy with them for requesting that, so he prayed to Yahweh about it.

7 YHWH 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.

Yahweh replied, “Do what they have requested you to do. But ([do not think/the truth is not]) that you are the one whom they are really rejecting. I have been their king, and I am the one they are really rejecting.

8 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.

Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have rejected me, and they have worshiped other gods. And now they are also rejecting you in the same way.

9 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."

Do what they are asking you to do. But warn/tell them about how their kings will act toward them!”

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

So Samuel told those people what Yahweh had said.

11 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.

He said, “If a king rules over you, this is what he will do to you: He will force many of your sons to join the army. He will make [some of] them run in front of his chariots [to clear people out of his way].

12 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.

[Some of] them will be commanders of his soldiers, but others will work for him like slaves. He will force some of them to plow his fields and [then later] harvest his crops. He will force others to make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.

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

The king will take [some of] your daughters [from you and force them] to make perfumes for him and cook food for him and bake [bread for him].

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

He will take your best fields and vineyards and olive tree groves/orchards, and give them to his own officials.

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

He will take a tenth of your harvests and distribute it among the officers and servants [who work in] his [palace].

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

He will take from you your male and female servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and force them to work for him.

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

He will take one tenth of your sheep and goats. And you will become his slaves!

18 You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH will not answer you in that day."

When that time comes, you will complain loudly to the king, the king that you yourselves have chosen, but Yahweh will not (pay attention to/help) you.”

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

But the people refused to pay attention to what Samuel said. They said, “We do not [care what you say]! We want a king!

20 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."

We want to be like the other nations. We want a king to rule us and to lead our soldiers when they go to fight.”

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

When Samuel told Yahweh what the people had said,

22 YHWH 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."

Yahweh replied, “Do what they are telling you to do. Give them a king!” [So Samuel agreed], and then he sent the people home.