1 Samuel 8:4-22 ▼

4 And all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,

5 and they said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint to us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6 And the thing was bad in the eyes of Samuel when they said, “Give to us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to YHWH.

7 And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but Me they have rejected from reigning over them.

8 According to all the works that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, and to this day—and they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing also to you.

9 And now listen to their voice. Only surely you must solemnly warn them and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

10 And Samuel told all the words of YHWH to the people who were asking from him a king.

11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you?: Your? sons he will take and appoint to his own chariots and horses, and some will run before the face of his chariots.

12 And He will appoint for himself captains of thousands and captains of fifties also to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

13 And your? daughters he will take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers.

14 And your? fields and your? vineyards and your? olive groves—the best ones—he will take and give to his servants.

15 And your? grain and your? vintage, He will take a tenth and give it to his officers and servants.

16 And your? menservants, and your? maidservants, and your? best cattle, and your? donkeys, he will take and put to his work.

17 He will take a tenth of your? flock, and you? will be his slaves.

18 And you? will cry out in that day because of your? king whom you? have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH will not answer you? in that day.”

19 And the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but surely we will have a king over us,

20 that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them in the ears of YHWH.

22 And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint to them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”