Israel Demands a King
(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

1  וַיְהִ֕י (And it came to pass), כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (when) זָקֵ֖ן (was old) שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל (Samuel), וַיָּ֧שֶׂם (that he made) אֶת־ (-) בָּנָ֛יו (his sons) שֹׁפְטִ֖ים (judges) לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (over Israel). 2  וַיְהִ֞י (And was) שֶׁם־ (the name) בְּנ֤וֹ (of son) הַבְּכוֹר֙ (his firstborn) יוֹאֵ֔ל (Joel), וְשֵׁ֥ם (and the name) מִשְׁנֵ֖הוּ (of his second) אֲבִיָּ֑ה (Abijah)— שֹׁפְטִ֖ים (judges) בִּבְאֵ֥ר (in Beer-) שָֽׁבַע׃ (sheba). 3  וְלֹֽא־ (Not) הָלְכ֤וּ (did walk) בָנָיו֙ (his sons) בְּדַרְכּוֹ (in his ways), וַיִּטּ֖וּ (and they turned aside) אַחֲרֵ֣י (after) הַבָּ֑צַע (dishonest gain), וַיִּ֨קְחוּ־ (and they took) שֹׁ֔חַד (bribes) וַיַּטּ֖וּ (and perverted) מִשְׁפָּֽט׃פ (justice).

4  וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ (And gathered together) כֹּ֖ל (all) זִקְנֵ֣י (the elders) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ (and came) אֶל־ (to) שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל (Samuel) הָרָמָֽתָה׃ (at Ramah), 5  וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (and they said) אֵלָ֗יו (to him) הִנֵּה֙ (Behold), אַתָּ֣ה (you) זָקַ֔נְתָּ (are old), וּבָנֶ֕יךָ (and your sons) לֹ֥א (not) הָלְכ֖וּ (do walk) בִּדְרָכֶ֑יךָ (in your ways). עַתָּ֗ה (Now) שִֽׂימָה־ (appoint) לָּ֥נוּ (to us) מֶ֛לֶךְ (a king) לְשָׁפְטֵ֖נוּ (to judge us) כְּכָל־ (like all) הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (the nations).

6  וַיֵּ֤רַע (And was bad) הַדָּבָר֙ (the thing) בְּעֵינֵ֣י (in the eyes) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (of Samuel) כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (when) אָמְר֔וּ (they said), תְּנָה־ (Give) לָּ֥נוּ (to us) מֶ֖לֶךְ (a king) לְשָׁפְטֵ֑נוּ (to judge us). וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל (And prayed) שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל (Samuel) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָֽה׃פ (YHWH).

7  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel), שְׁמַע֙ (Listen) בְּק֣וֹל (to the voice) הָעָ֔ם (of the people) לְכֹ֥ל (in all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יֹאמְר֖וּ (they say) אֵלֶ֑יךָ (to you), כִּ֣י (for) לֹ֤א (not) אֹֽתְךָ֙ (you) מָאָ֔סוּ (they have rejected), כִּֽי־ (but) אֹתִ֥י (Me) מָאֲס֖וּ (they have rejected) מִמְּלֹ֥ךְ (from reigning) עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (over them). 8  כְּכָֽל־ (According to all) הַמַּעֲשִׂ֣ים (the works) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשׂ֗וּ (they have done) מִיּוֹם֩ (since the day) הַעֲלֹתִ֨י (that I brought up) אֹתָ֤ם (them) מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ (out of Egypt) וְעַד־ (and to) הַיּ֣וֹם (the day) הַזֶּ֔ה (this)— וַיַּ֣עַזְבֻ֔נִי (and they have forsaken Me) וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ (and served) אֱלֹהִ֣ים (gods) אֲחֵרִ֑ים (other)— כֵּ֛ן (so) הֵ֥מָּה (they) עֹשִׂ֖ים (are doing) גַּם־ (also) לָֽךְ׃ (to you). 9  וְעַתָּ֖ה (And now) שְׁמַ֣ע (listen) בְּקוֹלָ֑ם (to their voice). אַ֗ךְ (Only) כִּֽי־ (surely) הָעֵ֤ד (warning) תָּעִיד֙ (you must warn) בָּהֶ֔ם (them) וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ (and show) לָהֶ֔ם (them) מִשְׁפַּ֣ט (the behavior) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (of the king) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) יִמְלֹ֖ךְ (will reign) עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ס (over them).

Samuel’s Warning

10  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And told) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel) אֵ֖ת (-) כָּל־ (all) דִּבְרֵ֣י (the words) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֕ם (the people) הַשֹּׁאֲלִ֥ים (who were asking) מֵאִתּ֖וֹ (from him) מֶֽלֶךְ׃ס (a king). 11  וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (And he said), זֶ֗ה (This) יִֽהְיֶה֙ (will be) מִשְׁפַּ֣ט (the behavior) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (of the king) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) יִמְלֹ֖ךְ (will reign) עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (over you⁺): אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם (your⁺ sons) יִקָּ֗ח (he will take) וְשָׂ֥ם (and appoint) לוֹ֙ (to) בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּ֣וֹ (his own chariots) וּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יו (and horses), וְרָצ֖וּ (and some will run) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face of) מֶרְכַּבְתּֽוֹ׃ (his chariots).

12  וְלָשׂ֣וּם (And He will appoint) ל֔וֹ (for himself) שָׂרֵ֥י (captains) אֲלָפִ֖ים (of thousands) וְשָׂרֵ֣י (and captains) חֲמִשִּׁ֑ים (of fifties), וְלַחֲרֹ֤שׁ (also to plow) חֲרִישׁוֹ֙ (his ground), וְלִקְצֹ֣ר (and to reap) קְצִיר֔וֹ (his harvest), וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (and to make) כְּלֵֽי־ (his weapons) מִלְחַמְתּ֖וֹ (of war) וּכְלֵ֥י (and equipment) רִכְבּֽוֹ׃ (for his chariots).

13  וְאֶת־ (And) בְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ daughters) יִקָּ֑ח (he will take) לְרַקָּח֥וֹת (for perfumers), וּלְטַבָּח֖וֹת (and for cooks), וּלְאֹפֽוֹת׃ (and for bakers).

14  וְאֶת־ (And) שְׂ֠דֽוֹתֵיכֶם (your⁺ fields) וְאֶת־ (and) כַּרְמֵיכֶ֧ם (your⁺ vineyards) וְזֵיתֵיכֶ֛ם (and your⁺ olive groves)— הַטּוֹבִ֖ים (the best ones)— יִקָּ֑ח (he will take) וְנָתַ֖ן (and give) לַעֲבָדָֽיו׃ (to his servants). 15  וְזַרְעֵיכֶ֥ם (And your⁺ grain) וְכַרְמֵיכֶ֖ם (and your⁺ vintage), יַעְשֹׂ֑ר (He will take a tenth) וְנָתַ֥ן (and give it) לְסָרִיסָ֖יו (to his officers) וְלַעֲבָדָֽיו׃ (and servants). 16  וְאֶת־ (And) עַבְדֵיכֶם֩ (your⁺ menservants), וְֽאֶת־ (and) שִׁפְח֨וֹתֵיכֶ֜ם (your⁺ maidservants), וְאֶת־ (and) בַּחוּרֵיכֶ֧ם (your⁺ young men) הַטּוֹבִ֛ים (best), וְאֶת־ (and) חֲמוֹרֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ donkeys) יִקָּ֑ח (he will take) וְעָשָׂ֖ה (and put) לִמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ (to his work).

17  צֹאנְכֶ֖ם (Your⁺ flock) יַעְשֹׂ֑ר (he will take a tenth of), וְאַתֶּ֖ם (and you⁺) תִּֽהְיוּ־ (will be) ל֥וֹ (his) לַעֲבָדִֽים׃ (slaves). 18  וּזְעַקְתֶּם֙ (And you⁺ will cry out) בַּיּ֣וֹם (in day) הַה֔וּא (that) מִלִּפְנֵ֣י (because) מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם (of your⁺ king) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (whom) בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם (you⁺ have chosen) לָכֶ֑ם (for yourselves), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יַעֲנֶ֧ה (will answer) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) בַּיּ֥וֹם (in the day) הַהֽוּא׃ (that).

God Grants the Request

19  וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ (And refused) הָעָ֔ם (the people) לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ (to listen) בְּק֣וֹל (to the voice) שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל (of Samuel), וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (and they said), לֹּ֔א (No), כִּ֥י (but) אִם־ (surely) מֶ֖לֶךְ (a king) יִֽהְיֶ֥ה (we will have) עָלֵֽינוּ׃ (over us), 20  וְהָיִ֥ינוּ (that may be) גַם־ (also) אֲנַ֖חְנוּ (we) כְּכָל־ (like all) הַגּוֹיִ֑ם (the nations), וּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּ (that may judge us) מַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙ (our king) וְיָצָ֣א (and go out) לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ (before us) וְנִלְחַ֖ם (and fight) אֶת־ (-) מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃ (our battles).

21  וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע (And heard) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel) אֵ֖ת (-) כָּל־ (all) דִּבְרֵ֣י (the words) הָעָ֑ם (of the people), וַֽיְדַבְּרֵ֖ם (and he spoke them) בְּאָזְנֵ֥י (in the ears) יְהוָֽה׃פ (of YHWH).

22  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (Samuel), שְׁמַ֣ע (Listen) בְּקוֹלָ֔ם (to their voice), וְהִמְלַכְתָּ֥ (and appoint) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) מֶ֑לֶךְ (a king).

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (Samuel) אֶל־ (to) אַנְשֵׁ֣י (the men) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), לְכ֖וּ (Go), אִ֥ישׁ (every man) לְעִירֽוֹ׃פ (to his city).