YouVersion Logo
Search Icon

1 Samuel 8:10-22

1 Samuel 8:10-22 NCV

So Samuel told those who had asked him for a king what the LORD had said. Samuel said, “If you have a king ruling over you, this is what he will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and his horses, and they will run in front of the king’s chariot. The king will make some of your sons commanders over thousands or over fifties. He will make some of your other sons plow his ground and reap his harvest. He will take others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to make perfume and cook and bake for him. He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take one-tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and servants. He will take your male and female servants, your best cattle, and your donkeys and use them all for his own work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that time comes, you will cry out because of the king you chose. But the LORD will not answer you then.” But the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, “No! We want a king to rule over us. Then we will be the same as all the other nations. Our king will judge for us and go with us and fight our battles.” After Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated their words to the LORD. The LORD answered, “You must listen to them. Give them a king.” Then Samuel told the people of Israel, “Go back to your towns.”