| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons judges over Israel. | 1As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. |
| 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. | 2Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. |
| 3His sons did not follow Samuel's example. Instead, they pursued dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. | 3But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. |
| 4All the elders of Israel gathered together, and came to Samuel at Ramah. | 4Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. |
| 5They told him, "Look, you're old, and your sons don't follow your example. So appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations." | 5“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” |
| 6Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. | 6Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the LORD for guidance. |
| 7The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it's not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king. | 7“Do everything they say to you,” the LORD replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. |
| 8Like all the things they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this very day, they have forsaken me and followed other gods. They're also doing the same thing to you. | 8Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. |
| 9Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate." | 9Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.” Samuel Warns against a Kingdom |
| 10Samuel reported everything the LORD told him to the people who were asking him for a king. | 10So Samuel passed on the LORD’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 11He said, "This is how the king who rules over you will operate: He will conscript your sons and assign them to his chariots. He will conscript them as his horsemen, and they'll run in front of his chariots. | 11“This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. |
| 12He will appoint his officers over thousands and officers over fifties—some will plow his fields, reap his harvest, and craft his war implements and equipment for his chariots. | 12Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. |
| 13He will take your daughters for perfumers, cooks, and bakers. | 13The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. |
| 14He will take the best products of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves and give them to his servants. | 14He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. |
| 15He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. | 15He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. |
| 16He will take your male and female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys to do his work. | 16He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. |
| 17He will take a tenth of your flock, and you will become his servants. | 17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. |
| 18When all of this comes about, you will cry out because of your king whom you chose for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you at that time." | 18When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the LORD will not help you.” |
| 19The people refused to listen to Samuel. Instead, they insisted, "No! Let a king rule over us instead! | 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. |
| 20We, too, will be like all the nations! Our king will govern us and go out before us to fight our battles." | 20“We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” |
| 21So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the LORD. | 21So Samuel repeated to the LORD what the people had said, |
| 22The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to them, and appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own town." | 22and the LORD replied, “Do as they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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