1 Samuel 8
8
Israel Asks for a King
1When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2The name of his oldest son was Joel. The name of his second son was Abijah. They served as judges at Beersheba. 3But his sons didn’t live as he did. They were only interested in making money. They accepted money from people who wanted special favors. They made things that were wrong appear to be right.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together. They came to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “You are old. Your sons don’t live as you do. So appoint a king to lead us. We want a king just like the kings all the other nations have.”
6Samuel wasn’t pleased when they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So he prayed to the Lord. 7The Lord told him, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. You are not the one they have turned their backs on. I am the one they do not want as their king. 8They are doing just as they have always done. They have deserted me and served other gods. They have done that from the time I brought them up out of Egypt until this day. Now they are deserting you too. 9Let them have what they want. But give them a strong warning. Let them know what the king who rules over them will expect to be done for him.”
10Samuel told the people who were asking him for a king everything the Lord had said. 11Samuel told them, “Here’s what the king who rules over you will expect to be done for him. He will take your sons. He’ll make them serve with his chariots and horses. They will run in front of his chariots. 12He’ll choose some of your sons to be commanders of thousands of men. Some will be commanders of fifties. Others will have to plow his fields and gather his crops. Still others will have to make weapons of war and parts for his chariots. 13He’ll also take your daughters. Some will have to make perfume. Others will be forced to cook and bake. 14He will take away your best fields and vineyards and olive groves. He’ll give them to his attendants. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and a tenth of your grapes. He’ll give it to his officials and attendants. 16He will also take your male and female servants. He’ll take your best cattle and donkeys. He’ll use all of them any way he wants to. 17He will take a tenth of your sheep and goats. You yourselves will become his slaves. 18When that time comes, you will cry out for help because of the king you have chosen. But the Lord won’t answer you at that time.”
19In spite of what Samuel said, the people refused to listen to him. “No!” they said. “We want a king to rule over us. 20Then we’ll be like all the other nations. We’ll have a king to lead us. He’ll go out at the head of our armies and fight our battles.”
21Samuel heard everything the people said. He told the Lord about it. 22The Lord answered, “Listen to them. Give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Each of you go back to your own town.”
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1 Samuel 8: NIrV
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1 Samuel 8
8
The People of Israel Want a King
1-2Samuel had two sons. The older one was Joel, and the younger one was Abijah. When Samuel was getting old, he let them be leaders at Beersheba. 3But they were not like their father. They were dishonest and accepted bribes to give unfair decisions.
4One day the nation's leaders came to Samuel at Ramah 5#Dt 17.14. and said, “You are an old man. You set a good example for your sons, but they haven't followed it. Now we want a king to be our leader, just like all the other nations. Choose one for us!”
6Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say they wanted a king, so he prayed about it. 7The Lord answered:
Samuel, do everything they want you to do. I am really the one they have rejected as their king. 8Ever since the day I rescued my people from Egypt, they have turned from me to worship idols. Now they are turning away from you. 9Do everything they ask, but warn them and tell them how a king will treat them.
10Samuel told the people who were asking for a king what the Lord had said:
11If you have a king, this is how he will treat you. He will force your sons to join his army. Some of them will ride in his chariots, some will serve in the cavalry, and others will run ahead of his own chariot.#8.11 others … chariot: These men were probably his bodyguards. 12Some of them will be officers in charge of 1,000 soldiers, and others will be in charge of 50. Still others will have to farm the king's land and harvest his crops, or make weapons and parts for his chariots. 13Your daughters will have to make perfume or do his cooking and baking.
14The king will take your best fields, as well as your vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his own officials. 15He will also take a tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and officials.
16The king will take your slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work. 17He will also take a tenth of your sheep and goats. You will become the king's slaves, 18and you will finally cry out for the Lord to save you from the king you wanted. But the Lord won't answer your prayers.
19-20The people would not listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want to be like other nations. We want a king to rule us and lead us in battle.”
21Samuel listened to them and then told the Lord exactly what they had said. 22“Do what they want,” the Lord answered. “Give them a king.”
Samuel told the people to go back to their homes.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.