1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

1Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961, whenH3512 SamuelH8050 wasH2204 oldH2204, that 1he appointedH7760 his sonsH1121 as judgesH8199 over IsraelH3478. 2The 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 they 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 us a kingH4428 to judgeH8199 us like allH3605 the nationsH1471.” 6But the matterH1697 was 67displeasingH7489 in the sightH5869 of SamuelH8050 whenH3512 they saidH559, “GiveH5414 us a kingH4428 to judgeH8199 us.” And 8SamuelH8050 prayedH6419 to the LordH3068. 7And the LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “ListenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of the peopleH5971 regarding allH3605 that they sayH559 to you, becauseH3588 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 upH5927 from EgyptH4714 even to thisH2088 dayH3117--in that they have abandonedH5800 Me and servedH5647 otherH312 godsH430--soH3651 they are doingH6213 to you asH1571 wellH1571. 9NowH6258 then, listenH8085 to their voiceH6963; 10howeverH389H3588, you shall warnH5749 them stronglyH5749 and tellH5046 them of 11the 12practiceH4941 of the kingH4428 whoH834 will reignH4427 overH5921 them.”

Warning concerning a King

10So SamuelH8050 spokeH559 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of the LordH3068 to 13the peopleH5971 who had askedH7592 him for a kingH4428. 11And he saidH559, “14ThisH2088 will be the 15practiceH4941 of the kingH4428 whoH834 will reignH4427 overH5921 you: 16he will takeH3947 your sonsH1121 and putH7760 them in his chariotsH4818 for himself and among his horsemenH6571, and 17they will runH7323 beforeH6440 his chariotsH4818. 1218He will appointH7760 for himself commandersH8269 of thousandsH505 and commandersH8269 of fiftiesH2572, and some to 19doH2790 his plowingH2758 and to gatherH7114 inH7114 his harvestH7105, and to makeH6213 his weaponsH3627 of warH4421 and equipmentH3627 for his chariotsH7393. 13He will also takeH3947 your daughtersH1323 and use them as perfumersH7548, cooksH2879, and bakersH644. 1420He will takeH3947 the bestH2896 of your fieldsH7704, your vineyardsH3754, and your oliveH2132 grovesH2132, and giveH5414 them to his servantsH5650. 15And he will takeH6237 aH6237 tenthH6237 of your seedH2233 and your vineyardsH3754 and giveH5414 it to his highH5631 officialsH5631 and his servantsH5650. 16He will also takeH3947 your maleH5650 servantsH5650 and your femaleH8198 servantsH8198, and your bestH2896 youngH970 menH970, and your donkeysH2543, and 21useH6213 them for his workH4399. 17He will takeH6237 aH6237 tenthH6237 of your flocksH6629, and you yourselvesH864 will becomeH1961 his servantsH5650. 18Then 22you will cryH2199 outH2199 on that dayH3117 becauseH4480H6440 of your kingH4428 whomH834 you have chosenH977 for yourselves, but 23the LordH3068 will not answerH6030 you on that dayH3117.”

19Yet the peopleH5971 24refusedH3985 to listenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of SamuelH8050, and they saidH559, “NoH3808, but there shall be a kingH4428 overH5921 us, 2025so that we alsoH1571 may be like allH3605 the nationsH1471, and our kingH4428 may judgeH8199 us and goH3318 outH3318 beforeH6440 us and fightH3898 our battlesH4421.” 21Now after SamuelH8050 had heardH8085 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of the peopleH5971, 26he 27repeatedH1696 them in the Lord’sH3068 hearingH241. 22And the LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “28ListenH8085 to their voiceH6963 and appointH4427 a kingH4428 for them.” So SamuelH8050 saidH559 to the menH376 of IsraelH3478, “GoH1980, everyH376 manH376 to his cityH5892.”