Revised Literal Translation

1 Samuel 8

1And it came to pass, when Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֑לshe.mu.'ElH8050was oldזָקֵ֖ןza.KenH2204,that he madeוַיָּ֧שֶׂםvai.Ya.semH7760his sonsבָּנָ֛יוba.NavH1121judgesשֹׁפְטִ֖יםsho.fe.TimH8199over Israelלְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃le.Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

2Now the nameשֶׁם־shem-H8034of his firstbornבְּנ֤וֹ הַבְּכוֹר֙be.No ha.be.khOrH1060 H1121was Joelיוֹאֵ֔לyo.'ElH3100;and the nameוְשֵׁ֥םve.ShemH8034of his secondמִשְׁנֵ֖הוּmish.Ne.huH4932,Abiahאֲבִיָּ֑ה'a.vi.YahH29: they werejudgesשֹׁפְטִ֖יםsho.fe.TimH8199in Beer–shebaH884.

3And his sonsבָנָיו֙va.NavH1121walkedהָלְכ֤וּha.le.KhuH1980not in his waysבִּדְרָכָ֔יוbe.dar.khovH1870,but turned asideוַיִּטּ֖וּvai.yi.TuH5186afterאַחֲרֵ֣י'a.cha.ReiH310lucreהַבָּ֑צַעha.Ba.tza'H1215,and tookוַיִּ֨קְחוּ־vai.Yik.chu-H3947bribesשֹׁ֔חַדSho.chadH7810,and pervertedוַיַּטּ֖וּvai.ya.TuH5186judgmentמִשְׁפָּֽט׃ פmish.PatH4941.

4Then all the eldersזִקְנֵ֣יzik.NeiH2205of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478gathered themselves togetherוַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּvai.yit.ka.be.TzuH6908,and cameוַיָּבֹ֥אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uH935to Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֖לshe.mu.'ElH8050unto Ramahהָרָמָֽתָה׃ha.ra.Ma.tahH7414,

5And saidוַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.RuH559unto him, Behold, thou art oldזָקַ֔נְתָּza.Kan.taH2204,and thy sonsוּבָנֶ֕יךָu.va.Nei.khaH1121walkהָלְכ֖וּha.le.KhuH1980not in thy waysבִּדְרָכֶ֑יךָbid.ra.Khei.khaH1870:now makeשִֽׂימָה־si.mah-H7760us a kingמֶ֛לֶךְMe.lekhH4428to judgeלְשָׁפְטֵ֖נוּle.sha.fe.Te.nuH8199us like all the nationsהַגּוֹיִֽם׃ha.go.YimH1471.

6But the thingהַדָּבָר֙ha.da.VarH1697displeasedבְּעֵינֵ֣יbe.'ei.NeiH5869 H3415Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElH8050,when they saidאָמְר֔וּ'a.me.RuH559,Giveתְּנָה־te.nah-H5414us a kingמֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekhH4428to judgeלְשָׁפְטֵ֑נוּle.sha.fe.Te.nuH8199us. And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֖לshe.mu.'ElH8050prayedוַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥לvai.yit.pa.LelH6419unto Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ פYah.wehH3068.

7And Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElH8050,Hearkenשְׁמַע֙she.Ma'H8085unto the voiceבְּק֣וֹלbe.KolH6963of the peopleהָעָ֔םha.'AmH5971in all that they sayיֹאמְר֖וּyo.me.RuH559unto thee: for they have not rejectedמָאָ֔סוּma.'A.suH3988thee, but they have rejectedמָאֲס֖וּma.'a.SuH3988me, that I should not reignמִמְּלֹ֥ךְmi.me.LokhH4427over them.

8According to all the worksהַמַּעֲשִׂ֣יםha.ma.'a.SimH4639which they have doneעָשׂ֗וּ'a.SuH6213since the dayמִיּוֹם֩mi.yOmH3117that I brought them upהַעֲלֹתִ֨יha.'a.lo.TiH5927out of Egyptמִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙mi.mitz.Ra.yimH4714even unto this dayהַיּ֣וֹםhai.YomH3117,wherewith they have forsakenוַיַּ֣עַזְבֻ֔נִיvai.Ya.'az.Vu.niH5800me, and servedוַיַּעַבְד֖וּvai.ya.'av.DuH5647otherאֲחֵרִ֑ים'a.che.RimH312godsאֱלֹהִ֣ים'E.lo.HimH430,so doעֹשִׂ֖ים'o.SimH6213they also unto thee.

9Now therefore hearkenשְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'H8085unto their voiceבְּקוֹלָ֑םbe.ko.LamH6963:howbeitאַ֗ךְ'AkhH389yet protestהָעֵ֤דha.'EdH5749solemnlyתָּעִיד֙ta.'IdH5749unto them, and shewוְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ve.hi.gad.TaH5046them the mannerמִשְׁפַּ֣טmish.PatH4941of the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428that shall reignיִמְלֹ֖ךְyim.LokhH4427over them.

10And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElH8050toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559all the wordsדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697of Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068unto the peopleהָעָ֕םha.'AmH5971that askedהַשֹּׁאֲלִ֥יםha.sho.'a.LimH7592of him a kingמֶֽלֶךְ׃ סMe.lekhH4428.

11And he saidוַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,This will be the mannerמִשְׁפַּ֣טmish.PatH4941of the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428that shall reignיִמְלֹ֖ךְyim.LokhH4427over you: He will takeיִקָּ֗חyi.KachH3947your sonsבְּנֵיכֶ֣םbe.nei.KhemH1121,and appointוְשָׂ֥םve.SamH7760themfor himself, for his chariotsבְּמֶרְכַּבְתּ֣וֹbe.mer.kav.ToH4818, and to behis horsemenוּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יוu.ve.fa.ra.ShavH6571; and someshall runוְרָצ֖וּve.ra.TzuH7323beforeלִפְנֵ֥יlif.NeiH6440his chariotsמֶרְכַּבְתּֽוֹ׃mer.kav.ToH4818.

12And he will appointוְלָשׂ֣וּםve.la.SumH7760him captainsשָׂרֵ֥יsa.ReiH8269over thousandsאֲלָפִ֖ים'a.la.FimH505,and captainsוְשָׂרֵ֣יve.sa.ReiH8269over fiftiesחֲמִשִּׁ֑יםcha.mi.ShimH2572; and will set themto plowוְלַחֲרֹ֤שׁve.la.cha.RoshH2790his groundחֲרִישׁוֹ֙cha.ri.ShoH2758,and to reapוְלִקְצֹ֣רve.lik.TzorH7114his harvestקְצִיר֔וֹke.tzi.RoH7105,and to makeוְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתve.la.'a.SotH6213his instrumentsכְּלֵֽי־ke.lei-H3627of warמִלְחַמְתּ֖וֹmil.cham.ToH4421,and instrumentsוּכְלֵ֥יu.khe.LeiH3627of his chariotsרִכְבּֽוֹ׃rikh.BoH7393.

13And he will takeיִקָּ֑חyi.KachH3947your daughtersבְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֖םbe.no.tei.KhemH1323to beconfectionariesלְרַקָּח֥וֹתle.ra.ka.ChotH7548, and to becooksוּלְטַבָּח֖וֹתu.le.ta.ba.ChotH2879, and to bebakersוּלְאֹפֽוֹת׃u.le.'o.FotH644.

14And he will takeיִקָּ֑חyi.KachH3947your fieldsשְׂ֠דֽוֹתֵיכֶםSe.Do.tei.khemH7704,and your vineyardsכַּרְמֵיכֶ֧םkar.mei.KhemH3754,and your oliveyardsוְזֵיתֵיכֶ֛םve.zei.tei.KhemH2132, eventhe bestהַטּוֹבִ֖יםha.to.VimH2896of them,and giveוְנָתַ֖ןve.na.TanH5414themto his servantsלַעֲבָדָֽיו׃la.'a.va.DavH5650.

15And he will take the tenthיַעְשֹׂ֑רya'.SorH6237of your seedוְזַרְעֵיכֶ֥םve.zar.'ei.KhemH2233,and of your vineyardsוְכַרְמֵיכֶ֖םve.khar.mei.KhemH3754,and giveוְנָתַ֥ןve.na.TanH5414to his officersלְסָרִיסָ֖יוle.sa.ri.SavH5631,and to his servantsוְלַעֲבָדָֽיו׃ve.la.'a.va.DavH5650.

16And he will takeיִקָּ֑חyi.KachH3947your menservantsעַבְדֵיכֶם֩'av.dei.KhemH5650,and your maidservantsשִׁפְח֨וֹתֵיכֶ֜םshif.Cho.tei.KhemH8198,and your goodliestהַטּוֹבִ֛יםha.to.VimH2896young menבַּחוּרֵיכֶ֧םba.chu.rei.KhemH970,and your donkeysחֲמוֹרֵיכֶ֖םcha.mo.rei.KhemH2543,and putוְעָשָׂ֖הve.'a.SahH6213themto his workלִמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃lim.lakh.ToH4399.

17He will take the tenthיַעְשֹׂ֑רya'.SorH6237of your sheepצֹאנְכֶ֖םtzon.KhemH6629:and ye shall be his servantsלַעֲבָדִֽים׃la.'a.va.DimH5650.

18And ye shall cry outוּזְעַקְתֶּם֙u.ze.'ak.TemH2199in that dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai.YomH3117becauseמִלִּפְנֵ֣יmi.lif.NeiH6440of your kingמַלְכְּכֶ֔םmal.ke.KhemH4428which ye shall have chosenבְּחַרְתֶּ֖םbe.char.TemH977you; and Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068will not hearיַעֲנֶ֧הya.'a.NehH6030you in that dayבַּיּ֥וֹםbai.YomH3117.

19Nevertheless the peopleהָעָ֔םha.'AmH5971refusedוַיְמָאֲנ֣וּvay.ma.'a.NuH3985to obeyלִשְׁמֹ֖עַlish.Mo.a'H8085the voiceבְּק֣וֹלbe.KolH6963of Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֑לshe.mu.'ElH8050;and they saidוַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.RuH559,Nay; but we will have a kingמֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekhH4428over us;

20That we also may be like all the nationsהַגּוֹיִ֑םha.go.YimH1471;and that our kingמַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙mal.Ke.nuH4428may judgeוּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּu.she.fa.Ta.nuH8199us, and go outוְיָצָ֣אve.ya.Tza'H3318beforeלְפָנֵ֔ינוּle.fa.Nei.nuH6440us, and fightוְנִלְחַ֖םve.nil.ChamH3898our battlesמִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃mil.cha.mo.Te.nuH4421.

21And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElH8050heardוַיִּשְׁמַ֣עvai.yish.Ma'H8085all the wordsדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697of the peopleהָעָ֑םha.'AmH5971,and he rehearsedוַֽיְדַבְּרֵ֖םvay.da.be.RemH1696them in the earsבְּאָזְנֵ֥יbe.'a.ze.NeiH241of Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ פYah.wehH3068.

22And Yhwhיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to Samuelשְׁמוּאֵל֙she.mu.'ElH8050,Hearkenשְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'H8085unto their voiceבְּקוֹלָ֔םbe.ko.LamH6963,and makeוְהִמְלַכְתָּ֥ve.him.lakh.TaH4427them a kingמֶ֑לֶךְMe.lekhH4428.And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵל֙she.mu.'ElH8050saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto the menאַנְשֵׁ֣י'an.SheiH582of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478,GoH3212ye every manאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376unto his cityלְעִירֽוֹ׃ פle.'i.RoH5892.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8