1AND it came to pass, when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his first-born son was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes and perverted judgment.

4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramtha, 5And they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now give us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said to him, Give us a king to judge us like all the nations. And Samuel prayed before the LORD. 7And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken 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 works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt even to this day, as they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also to you. 9Now therefore hearken to their voice; but testify solemnly to them, and show them the law of the king who shall reign over them.

10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king. 11Then he said, This will be the law of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots. 12And he will appoint for himself officers of thousands and officers of hundreds and officers of fifties and officers of tens. And they shall plow his ground and reap his harvest and make his implements of war and instruments for his chariots. 13And he will take your daughters to be weavers and grinders and bakers. 14And he will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your oliveyards, and give them to his servants. 15And he will take the tenth of your crops and of your vineyards, and give to his officers and to his servants. 16And he will take your menservants and your maidservants, and your goodly young men and your asses, and put them to his work. 17He will take the tenth of your sheep; and you shall be his servants. 18And you shall cry for help in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you on that day.

19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said to him, No; but we will have a king over us, 20That we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. 21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them before the LORD. 22And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go every man to his city.