Old Testament · 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he set his sons as judges over Israel. 2And the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain, and took a bribe, and perverted judgment^a.

4And all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5And they said to him: "Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now set for us a king to judge us like all the nations."

6But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said: "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

7And the LORD said to Samuel: "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8According to all the deeds which they have done since the day I brought them up from Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken Me and served^b other gods, so they are doing also to you. 9And now, listen to their voice; however you shall surely testify against them, and tell them the manner of the king who will reign over them."

Samuel’s Warning

10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking of him a king. 11And he said: "This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariot and for his horsemen; and they will run before his chariot.

12And to appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties; and to plow his plowing, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariot.

13And your daughters he will take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers.

14And your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, the best ones, he will take, and give to his servants. 15And your seeds and your vineyards he will tithe, and give to his officers and to his servants. 16And your menservants, and your maidservants, and your best young men, and your donkeys he will take, and use for his work.

17Your flocks he will tithe; and you yourselves will be servants to him. 18And you will cry out in that day from before your king whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day."

God Grants the Request

19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said: "No, but there shall be a king over us; 20and we ourselves will also be like all the nations; and our king will judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles."

21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them in the ears of the LORD.

22And the LORD said to Samuel: "Listen to their voice, and make for them a king." And Samuel said to the men^c of Israel: "Go, each man to his city."