1 Samuel — Chapter 8

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

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

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

4So 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.”

6But 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.

7And 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.

8Just 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.

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

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

11He 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.

12He 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21Samuel 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.”

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

2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

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

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

5And 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.

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

7And 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.

8According 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.

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

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

11And 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.

12And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

18And 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.

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

20That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

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

22And 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.

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

2Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

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

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

5and they 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.

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

7And Jehovah 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 be king over them.

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

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

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

11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

12and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

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

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

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

16And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

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

18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

19But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,

20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

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

22And Jehovah 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.

1In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

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

3But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.

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

5They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.”

6But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.

7The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

8Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you.

9So now do as they say. But you must warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.”

10So Samuel spoke all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king.

11He said, “Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot.

12He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment.

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

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

15He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators and his servants.

16He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use.

17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants.

18In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you in that day.”

19But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning. Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us!

20We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.”

21So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the Lord.

22The Lord said to Samuel, “Do as they say and install a king over them.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go back to his own city.”

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

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

3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

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

5They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to Yahweh.

7Yahweh 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 as the king over them.

8According to all the works which they have done 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 they also do to you.

9Now therefore listen to their voice. However you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”

10Samuel told all Yahweh’s words to the people who asked him for a king.

11He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots.

12He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

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

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

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

16He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.

17He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.

18You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.”

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

20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”

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

22Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.”