1 Samuel 8

1 And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

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

2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.

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

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.

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

4 Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.

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

5 And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”

And said unto him, Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

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

7 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.

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

8 In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.

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 you.

9 Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”

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

10 And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.

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 right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.

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 them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.

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 Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.

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

14 Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.

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

16 Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.

And he will take your male servants, and your maidservants, and your best young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and all of you shall be his servants.

18 And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”

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

19 But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,

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

20 and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”

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 spoke them to the ears of the Lord.

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

22 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”

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