1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

1And it cameH1961 about whenH3512 SamuelH8050 was oldH2204 that 1he appointedH7760 his sonsH1121 judgesH8199 over IsraelH3478. 2Now the nameH8034 of his firstbornH1060 was JoelH3100, and the nameH8034 of his secondH4932, AbijahH29; they were judgingH8199 in 2BeershebaH884. 3His sonsH1121, however, did not walkH1980 in his waysH1870, but turnedH5186 asideH5186 afterH310 dishonestH1215 gainH1215 and 3tookH3947 bribesH7810 and pervertedH5186 justiceH4941.

4Then allH3605 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 gatheredH6908 together and cameH935 to SamuelH8050 at 4RamahH7414; 5and they saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009, you have grownH2204 oldH2204, and your sonsH1121 do not walkH1980 in your waysH1870. NowH6258 5appointH7760 a kingH4428 for us to judgeH8199 us like allH3605 the nationsH1471.” 6But the thingH1697 was 67displeasingH7489 in the sightH5869 of SamuelH8050 whenH3512 they saidH559, “GiveH5414 us a kingH4428 to judgeH8199 us.” And 8SamuelH8050 prayedH6419 to the LordH3068. 7The LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “ListenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of the peopleH5971 in regard to allH3605 that they sayH559 to you, for 9they have not rejectedH3988 you, but they have rejectedH3988 Me from beingH4427 kingH4427 overH5921 them. 8Like allH3605 the deedsH4639 whichH834 they have doneH6213 sinceH4480 the dayH3117 that I broughtH5927 them up from EgyptH4714 even to thisH2088 dayH3117--in that they have forsakenH5800 Me and servedH5647 otherH312 godsH430--soH3651 they are doingH6213 to you alsoH1571. 9NowH6258 then, listenH8085 to their voiceH6963; 10howeverH389, you shall solemnlyH5749 11warnH5749 them and tellH5046 them of 12the 13procedureH4941 of the kingH4428 whoH834 will reignH4427 overH5921 them.”

Warning concerning a King

10So SamuelH8050 spokeH559 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of the LordH3068 to 14the peopleH5971 who had askedH7592 of him a kingH4428. 11He saidH559, “15ThisH2088 will be the 16procedureH4941 of the kingH4428 whoH834 will reignH4427 overH5921 you: 17he will takeH3947 your sonsH1121 and placeH7760 them for himself in his chariotsH4818 and among his horsemenH6571 and 18they will runH7323 beforeH6440 his chariotsH4818. 1219He will appointH7760 for himself commandersH8269 of thousandsH505 and of fiftiesH2572, and some to 20doH2790 his plowingH2758 and to reapH7114 his harvestH7105 and to makeH6213 his weaponsH3627 of warH4421 and equipmentH3627 for his chariotsH7393. 13He will also takeH3947 your daughtersH1323 for perfumersH7548 and cooksH2879 and bakersH644. 1421He will takeH3947 the bestH2896 of your fieldsH7704 and your vineyardsH3754 and your oliveH2132 grovesH2132 and giveH5414 them to his servantsH5650. 15He will takeH6237 a tenthH6237 of your seedH2233 and of your vineyardsH3754 and giveH5414 to his officersH5631 and to his servantsH5650. 16He will also takeH3947 your maleH5650 servantsH5650 and your femaleH8198 servantsH8198 and your bestH2896 youngH970 menH970 and your donkeysH2543 and 22useH6213 them for his workH4399. 17He will takeH6237 a tenthH6237 of your flocksH6629, and you yourselvesH864 will becomeH1961 his servantsH5650. 18Then 23you will cryH2199 out in that dayH3117 becauseH4480H6440 of your kingH4428 whomH834 you have chosenH977 for yourselves, but 24the LordH3068 will not answerH6030 you in that dayH3117.”

19Nevertheless, the peopleH5971 25refusedH3985 to listenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of SamuelH8050, and they saidH559, “NoH3808, but there shall be a kingH4428 overH5921 us, 2026that we alsoH1571 may be like allH3605 the nationsH1471, that our kingH4428 may judgeH8199 us and goH3318 out beforeH6440 us and fightH3898 our battlesH4421.” 21Now after SamuelH8050 had heardH8085 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of the peopleH5971, 27he repeatedH1696 them in the Lord’sH3068 hearingH241. 22The LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “28ListenH8085 to their voiceH6963 and 29appointH4427 them a kingH4428.” So SamuelH8050 saidH559 to the menH376 of IsraelH3478, “GoH1980 everyH376 manH376 to his cityH5892.”