1 Samuel 8
8
Israel demands a king
1Now when Samuel got old, he appointed his sons to serve as Israel’s judges. 2The name of his oldest son was Joel; the name of the second was Abijah. They served as judges in Beer-sheba. 3But Samuel’s sons didn’t follow in his footsteps. They tried to turn a profit, they accepted bribes, and they perverted justice.
4So all the Israelite elders got together and went to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “Listen. You are old now, and your sons don’t follow in your footsteps. So appoint us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” 6It seemed very bad to Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” so he prayed to the LORD.
7The LORD answered Samuel, “Comply with the people’s request—everything they ask of you—because they haven’t rejected you. No, they’ve rejected me as king over them. 8They are doing to you only what they’ve been doing to me#8.8 LXX; MT lacks to me. from the day I brought them out of Egypt to this very minute, abandoning me and worshipping other gods. 9So comply with their request, but give them a clear warning, telling them how the king will rule over them.”#8.9 Or telling them the lawful practice of the king; also in 8:11; cf 10:25.
10Then Samuel explained everything the LORD had said to the people who were asking for a king. 11“This is how the king will rule over you,” Samuel said:
“He will take your sons, and will use them for his chariots and his cavalry and as runners for his chariot. 12He will use them as his commanders of troops of one thousand and troops of fifty, or to do his plowing and his harvesting, or to make his weapons or parts for his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, or bakers. 14He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants. 15He will give one-tenth of your grain and your vineyards to his officials and servants. 16He will take your male and female servants, along with the best of your cattle#8.16 LXX; MT young men and donkeys, and make them do his work. 17He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and then you yourselves will become his slaves! 18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you chose for yourselves, but on that day the LORD won’t answer you.”
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel and said, “No! There must be a king over us 20so we can be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.”
21Samuel listened to everything the people said and repeated it directly to the LORD. 22Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Comply with their request. Give them a king.”
Samuel then told the Israelite people, “Go back, each of you, to your own hometown.”
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 8: CEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 8
8
1And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
2Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee.
3And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled came to Samuel to Ramatha.
5And they said to him: Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have.
6And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king, to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them.
8According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee.
9Now therefore hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.
10Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,
11And said: This will be the right of the king, that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen to run before his chariots.
12And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots.
13Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.
14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants.
15Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give his eunuchs and servants.
16Your servants also and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses he will take away, and put them to his work.
17Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.
18And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves: and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.
19But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said: Nay: but there shall be a king over us.
20And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles for us.
21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
22And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to his city.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.