1 Samuel 8
8
Israel Rejects the LORD as King
1When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel; the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3The sons didn’t follow their father’s example but turned to dishonest ways of making money. They took bribes and denied people justice.
4Then all the leaders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5They told him, “You’re old, and your sons aren’t following your example. Now appoint a king to judge us so that we will be like all the other nations.”
6But Samuel considered it wrong for them to request a king to judge them. So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7The Lord told Samuel, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven’t rejected you; they’ve rejected me. 8They’re doing just what they’ve done since I took them out of Egypt—leaving me and serving other gods. 9Listen to them now, but be sure to warn them and tell them about the rights of a king.”
10Then Samuel told the people who had asked him for a king everything the Lord had said. 11Samuel said, “These are the rights of a king:
He will draft your sons, make them serve on his chariots and horses, and make them run ahead of his chariots.
12He will appoint them to be his officers over 1,000 or over 50 soldiers, to plow his ground and harvest his crops, and to make weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13He will take your daughters and have them make perfumes, cook, and bake.
14He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his officials.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and wine and give it to his aids and officials.
16He will take your male and female slaves, your best cattle,#8:16 Greek; Masoretic Text “best young men.” and your donkeys for his own use.
17He will take a tenth of your flocks.
In addition, you will be his servants.
18“When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. The Lord will not answer you when that day comes.”
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said, “No, we want a king! 20Then we, too, will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, lead us out ⌞to war⌟, and fight our battles.”
21When Samuel heard everything the people had to say, he reported it privately to the Lord. 22The Lord told him, “Listen to them, and give them a king.”
Then Samuel told the people of Israel, “Go ⌞back⌟ to your own cities.”
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1 Samuel 8: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. 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.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.