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

2 N ow the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abiah; they were judges in Beersheba.

3 A nd his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after greed, receiving bribes and perverting that which is right.

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

5 a nd said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons do not walk in thy ways; therefore make us a king to judge us like all the Gentiles.

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

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

9 N ow, therefore, hearken unto their voice; however first protest solemnly against them by declaring unto them the rights of the king that shall reign over them.

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

11 A nd he said, This will be the right 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 chariot.

12 A nd he will appoint captains over thousands and captains over fifties and will set them to plough his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and the munitions of his chariots.

13 A nd he will take your daughters to be confectioneries and to be cooks and to be bakers.

14 A nd he will take your fields and your vineyards and your good oliveyards and give them to his slaves.

15 A nd he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards to give to his officers and to his slaves.

16 A nd he will take your menslaves and your maidslaves and your good young men and your asses and do his work with them.

17 H e will also take the tenth of your sheep, and finally ye shall be his slaves.

18 A nd 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 N evertheless, the people refused to hear the voice of Samuel, and they said, No, but we will have a king over us

20 t hat we also may be like all the Gentiles and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.

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

22 A nd the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and place a king over them. Then Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go each one unto his city.