1 Samuel 8

1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

5 “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”

6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.

7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

8 Just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.

9 Now listen to their voice; but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.

11 He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots.

12 He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

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

14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.

15 He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.

16 And he will take your menservants and maidservants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his own use.

17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”

19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.

20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”

21 Samuel listened to all the words of the people and repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.

22 “Listen to their voice,” the LORD said to Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Everyone must go back to his city.”

1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

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

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

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

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set them] to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters [to be] confectionaries, and [to be] cooks, and [to be] bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his servants.

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

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

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.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

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

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

2 His firstborn son's name was Joel, and the other Abijah: and they were judges in Beersheba.

3 But his sons walked not in his way, but inclined to covetousness, and took gift, and bowed to justice.

4 And all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Ramath unto Samuel.

5 And they said unto him, Behold, thou art grown old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now therefore set a king over us, and judge us, as all the heathen have.

6 And it displeased Samuel: and they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed before the LORD.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they have said unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them.

8 They have done unto thee as they did from the day that I brought them up out of Egypt unto this day, and have forsaken me, and served other gods.

9 Obey therefore their voice. But testify unto them, and declare unto them the right of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel spake all the words of the LORD unto the people, which demanded of him a king.

11 This shall be the right of the king that shall reign over you: Your sons shall he take to his chariot, and horsemen to trot before his chariot,

12 And captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and tillers of his field, and reapers of his harvest, and to make his armour, and that which pertaineth to his chariot.

13 And he shall take your daughters to be apothecaries, and cooks, and bakers.

14 Your best fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, shall he take, and give unto his servants.

15 And of your seed, and of your vineyards, shall he take tithes, and give them unto his stewards and to his servants.

16 And he shall take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your fine young men, and your asses, and shall do his business with them.

17 Of your flocks shall he take tithes, and ye shall be his servants.

18 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall cry out in that day against your king, whom ye have chosen for yourselves, that the LORD will not hear you in that day.

19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and said: Nay, but there shall be a king over us,

20 That we also may be like all the rest of the heathen, that our king may judge us, and go out before us in our wars.

21 Then Samuel obeyed all that the people spake, and told it in the ears of the LORD.

22 And the LORD 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.