1 W hen Samuel became old, he made his sons judges in Israel.
Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 T he name of his first-born son was Joel. And the name of his second son was Abijah. They were men who judged in Beersheba.
The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.
3 B ut his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside to get money. They took pay to do things that were not right and fair.
But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 T hen all the leaders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5 T hey said to him, “See, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Choose a king to rule over us like all the nations.”
and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6 B ut Samuel was not pleased when they said, “Give us a king to rule over us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7 T he Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all they say to you. For they have not turned away from you. They have turned away from Me, that I should not be king over them.
And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
8 T hey are doing to you what they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt until now. They have turned away from Me and worshiped other gods.
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.
9 S o listen to their voice. But tell them of the danger and show them the ways of the king who will rule over them.”
Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
10 S o Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who had asked him for a king.
So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king.
11 H e said, “This will be the way the king will rule over you. He will take your sons and make them drive his war-wagons, be his horsemen, and run in front of his war-wagons.
And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.
12 H e will choose leaders of thousands and of fifties. He will choose men to plow his ground, gather his grain, and make objects for war and for his war-wagons.
He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 H e will take your daughters to make perfume, work with the food, and make bread.
He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14 H e will take the best of your fields and vines and olives, and give them to his servants.
And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.
15 H e will take a tenth part of your grain and your vines to give to his leaders and his servants.
He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.
16 H e will take your men servants and your women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys, and use them for his work.
And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 H e will take a tenth part of your flocks, and you yourselves will be made to work for him.
He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.
18 Y ou will cry out in that day because of your king you have chosen for yourselves. But the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”
19 B ut the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, “No! We will have a king rule over us,
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,
20 s o we may be like other nations. Our king may rule over us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
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 A fter Samuel heard all the people’s words, he told the Lord what they had said.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord.
22 T he Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and choose a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every one of you go home to his city.”
So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”