| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2His firstborn son's name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3However, his sons did not walk in his ways--they turned toward dishonest profit, took bribes, and perverted justice. |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have." |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6When they said, "Give us a king to judge us," Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the LORD. |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7But the LORD told him, "Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods. |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9Listen to them, but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them." |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10Samuel told all the LORD's words to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11He said, "These are the rights of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground and reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers. |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants. |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you've chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you on that day." |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We must have a king over us. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles." |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21Samuel listened to all the people's words and then repeated them to the LORD. |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22"Listen to them," the LORD told Samuel. "Appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you, go back to your city." |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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