1 Samuel 8
8
Israel Demands a King
1Now when Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second Abijah—they were judges in Beersheba.
3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain—they took bribes and perverted justice.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5and said to him, “Behold, you have grown old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us—like all the nations.”
6But the matter was displeasing in Samuel’s eyes when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to Adonai.
7Then Adonai said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, rather they have rejected Me from being king over them.
8Like all the deeds that they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt to this day—forsaking Me and worshiping other gods—so they are doing to you also.
9So now, listen to their voice. However, you must earnestly forewarn them, and declare to them the rulings of the king who will reign over them.”
10Now Samuel reported all the words of Adonai to the people who were asking him for a king.
11“This will be the practice of the king that will reign over you,” he said. “He will draft your sons and assign them as his charioteers and horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.
12He will appoint them as commanders of thousands and captains of fifties, also some to plow his fields, reap his harvest, make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.
13Also he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks and bakers.
14He will seize the best of your fields, vineyards and olive groves, and give them to his courtiers.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage and give it to his officials and slaves.
16He will also take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work.
17He will also take the tenth of your flocks. Then you yourselves will become his slaves.
18When the day comes and you cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, Adonai will not answer you on that day.”
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel, and they said, “No! But a king should be over us!
20So we may become like all the nations—having our king who will judge us, go out before us and fight our battles.”
21After Samuel heard all the words of the people, he reported them back in the hearing of Adonai.
22Adonai said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint a king to reign for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, each one to his town.”
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1 Samuel 8: TLV
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Sh'mu'el Alef (1 Sa) 8
8
1When Sh’mu’el grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Isra’el. 2His firstborn was named Yo’el, while his second son was named Aviyah; they were judges in Be’er-Sheva. 3However, his sons did not follow his way of life; they turned off it to pursue riches, so that they would take bribes to distort justice. 4All the leaders of Isra’el gathered themselves together, approached Sh’mu’el in Ramah 5and said to him, “Look, you have grown old, and your sons are not following your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6Sh’mu’el was not pleased to hear them say, “Give us a king to judge us”; so he prayed to Adonai. 7Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Listen to the people, to everything they say to you; for it is not you they are rejecting; they are rejecting me; they don’t want me to be king over them. 8They are doing to you exactly what they have been doing to me, from the day I brought them out of Egypt until today, by abandoning me and serving other gods. 9So do what they say, but give them a sober warning, telling them what kinds of rulings their king will make.”
10Sh’mu’el reported everything Adonai had said to the people asking him for a king. 11He said, “Here is the kind of rulings your king will make: he will draft your sons and assign them to take care of his chariots, be his horsemen and be bodyguards running ahead of his chariots. 12He will appoint them to serve him as officers in charge of a thousand or of fifty, plowing his fields, gathering his harvest, and making his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. 13He will take your daughters and have them be perfume-makers, cooks and bakers. 14He will expropriate your fields, vineyards and olive groves — the very best of them! — and hand them over to his servants. 15He will take the ten-percent tax of your crops and vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. 16He will take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and make them work for him. 17He will take the ten-percent tax of your flocks, and you will become his servants. 18When that happens, you will cry out on account of your king, whom you yourselves chose. But when that happens, Adonai will not answer you!”
19However, the people refused to listen to what Sh’mu’el told them, and they said, “No! We want a king over us, 20so that we can be like all the nations, with our king to judge us, lead us and fight our battles.” 21Sh’mu’el heard everything the people said and repeated them for Adonai to hear. 22Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Do what they ask, and set up a king for them.” So Sh’mu’el told the men of Isra’el, “Each of you, return to his city.”
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