1 Samuel 8

1 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel.

Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

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

The name of his first 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.

And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.

4 And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath,

Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah,

5 and say unto him, 'Lo, thou hast become aged, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways; now, appoint to us a king, to judge us, like all the nations.'

And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations.

6 And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, 'Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah.

But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.

7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Hearken to the voice of the people, to all that they say unto thee, for thee they have not rejected, but Me they have rejected, from reigning over them.

And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be 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 unto this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods — so they are doing also to thee.

As they have done from the first, from the day when I took them out of Egypt till this day, turning away from me and worshipping other gods, so now they are acting in the same way to you.

9 And now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.'

Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.

10 And Samuel speaketh all the words of Jehovah unto the people who are asking from him a king,

And Samuel said all these words of the Lord to the people who were desiring a king.

11 and saith, 'This is the custom of the king who doth reign over you: Your sons he doth take, and hath appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots;

And he said, This is the sort of king who will be your ruler: he will take your sons and make them his servants, his horsemen, and drivers of his war-carriages, and they will go running before his war-carriages;

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 make them captains of thousands and of fifties; some he will put to work ploughing and cutting his grain and making his instruments of war and building his war-carriages.

13 'And your daughters he doth take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers;

Your daughters he will take to be makers of perfumes and cooks and bread-makers.

14 and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards — the best — he doth take, and hath given to his servants.

He will take your fields and your vine-gardens and your olive-gardens, all the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And your seed and your vineyards he doth tithe, and hath given to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

He will take a tenth of your seed and of the fruit of your vines and give it to his servants.

16 And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your young men — the best, and your asses, he doth take, and hath prepared for his own work;

He will take your men-servants and your servant-girls, and the best of your oxen and your asses and put them to his work.

17 your flock he doth tithe, and ye are to him for servants.

He will take a tenth of your sheep: and you will be his servants.

18 And ye have cried out in that day because of the king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah doth not answer you in that day.'

Then you will be crying out because of your king whom you have taken for yourselves; but the Lord will not give you an answer in that day.

19 And the people refuse to hearken to the voice of Samuel, and say, 'Nay, but a king is over us,

But the people gave no attention to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us,

20 and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king hath judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.'

So that we may be like the other nations, and so that our king may be our judge and go out before us to war.

21 And Samuel heareth all the words of the people, and speaketh them in the ears of Jehovah;

Then Samuel, after hearing all the people had to say, went and gave an account of it to the Lord.

22 and Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Hearken to their voice, and thou hast caused to reign over them a king.' And Samuel saith unto the men of Israel, 'Go ye each to his city.'

And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.