1 Samuel 8:4-22

4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at 1Ramah; 5and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now 2appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6But the thing was 34displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And 5Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for 6they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day--in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also. 9Now then, listen to their voice; 7however, you shall solemnly 8warn them and tell them of 9the 10procedure of the king who will reign over them.”

10So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to 11the people who had asked of him a king. 11He said, “12This will be the 13procedure of the king who will reign over you: 14he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and 15they will run before his chariots. 1216He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to 17do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. 1418He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. 15He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. 16He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and 19use them for his work. 17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 18Then 20you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but 21the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

19Nevertheless, the people 22refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 2023that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, 24he repeated them in the Lord’s hearing. 22The Lord said to Samuel, “25Listen to their voice and 26appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”