1 Samuel 8
8
Israel Asks for a King
1When Samuel was old, he appointed his sons to be judges for Israel. 2Samuel’s first son was named Joel. His second son was named Abijah. Joel and Abijah were judges in Beersheba. 3But Samuel’s sons did not live the same way he did. Joel and Abijah accepted bribes. They took money secretly and changed their decisions in court. They cheated people in court. 4So all the elders of Israel met together and went to Ramah to meet with Samuel. 5The elders said to Samuel, “You’re old, and your sons don’t live right. They are not like you. Now, give us a king to rule us like all the other nations.”
6So the elders asked for a king to lead them. Samuel thought this was a bad idea, so he prayed to the Lord. 7The Lord told Samuel, “Do what the people tell you. They have not rejected you. They have rejected me. They don’t want me to be their king. 8They are doing the same thing they have always done. I took them out of Egypt, but they left me and served other gods. They are doing the same to you. 9So listen to the people and do what they say. But give them a warning. Tell the people what a king will do to them. Tell them how a king rules people.”
10Those people asked for a king. So Samuel told them everything the Lord said. 11Samuel said, “If you have a king ruling over you, this is what he will do: He will take away your sons and force them to serve him. He will force them to be soldiers—they must fight from his chariots and become horse soldiers in his army. Your sons will become guards running in front of the king’s chariot.
12“A king will force your sons to become soldiers. He will choose which of your sons will be officers over 1000 men and which will be officers over 50 men.
“A king will force some of your sons to plow his fields and gather his harvest. He will force some of your sons to make weapons for war and to make things for his chariots.
13“A king will take your daughters and force some of them to make perfume for him and some to cook and bake for him.
14“A king will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves. He will take them from you and give them to his officers. 15He will take one-tenth of your grain and grapes, and he will give them to his officers and servants.
16“A king will take your men and women servants. He will take your best cattle#8:16 cattle This is from the ancient Greek version. The standard Hebrew text has “young men.” and your donkeys. He will use them all for his own work. 17He will take one-tenth of your flocks.
“And you yourselves will become slaves of this king. 18When that time comes, you will cry because of the king you chose. But the Lord won’t answer you at that time.”
19But the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, “No, we want a king to rule over us. 20Then we will be the same as all the other nations. Our king will lead us. He will go before us and fight our battles.”
21Samuel listened to the people and then repeated their words to the Lord. 22The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel told the Israelites, “You will have a king. Now go home.”
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1 Samuel 8: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
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.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.