1 Samuel 8:1-8 ▼

1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel; the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

3 The sons didn't follow their father's example but turned to dishonest ways of making money. They took bribes and denied people justice.

4 Then all the leaders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

5 They told him, |You're old, and your sons aren't following your example. Now appoint a king to judge us so that we will be like all the other nations.|

6 But Samuel considered it wrong for them to request a king to judge them. So Samuel prayed to the LORD.

7 The LORD told Samuel, |Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven't rejected you; they've rejected me.

8 They're doing just what they've done since I took them out of Egypt-leaving me and serving other gods.