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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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 8
8
The People Ask for a King
1When Samuel grew old, he made his sons judges in Israel. 2The elder son was named Joel and the younger one Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3But they did not follow their father's example; they were interested only in making money, so they accepted bribes and did not decide cases honestly.
4Then all the leaders of Israel met together, went to Samuel in Ramah, 5#Deut 17.14and said to him, “Look, you are getting old and your sons don't follow your example. So then, appoint a king to rule over us, so that we will have a king, as other countries have.” 6Samuel was displeased with their request for a king; so he prayed to the LORD, 7and the LORD said, “Listen to everything the people say to you. You are not the one they have rejected; I am the one they have rejected as their king. 8Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have turned away from me and worshipped other gods; and now they are doing to you what they have always done to me. 9So then, listen to them, but give them strict warnings and explain how their kings will treat them.”
10Samuel told the people who were asking him for a king everything that the LORD had said to him. 11“This is how your king will treat you,” Samuel explained. “He will make soldiers of your sons; some of them will serve in his war chariots, others in his cavalry, and others will run before his chariots. 12He will make some of them officers in charge of a thousand men, and others in charge of fifty men. Your sons will have to plough his fields, harvest his crops, and make his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. 13Your daughters will have to make perfumes for him and work as his cooks and his bakers. 14He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his officials. 15He will take a tenth of your corn and of your grapes for his court officers and other officials. 16He will take your servants and your best cattle#8.16 One ancient translation cattle; Hebrew young men. and donkeys, and make them work for him. 17He will take a tenth of your flocks. And you yourselves will become his slaves. 18When that time comes, you will complain bitterly because of your king, whom you yourselves chose, but the LORD will not listen to your complaints.”
19The people paid no attention to Samuel, but said “No! We want a king, 20so that we will be like other nations, with our own king to rule us and to lead us out to war and to fight our battles.” 21Samuel listened to everything they said and then went and told the LORD. 22The LORD answered, “Do what they want and give them a king.” Then Samuel told all the men of Israel to go back home.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.