1 Cuando Samuel envejeció, puso a sus hijos como jueces de Israel. | 1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. |
2 Su hijo mayor se llamaba Joel, y el segundo, Abías: ambos eran jueces en Berseba. | 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. |
3 Pero ellos no siguieron sus pasos, sino que se dejaron llevar por el afán de lucro, aceptaron regalos y pervirtieron el derecho. | 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. |
4 Entonces se reunieron todos los ancianos de Israel y acudieron a Samuel en Ramá. | 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, |
5 «Tú ya eres viejo, le dijeron, y tus hijos no siguen tus pasos. Ahora danos un rey para que nos gobierne, como lo tienen todas las naciones». | 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. |
6 A Samuel le disgustó que le dijeran: «Danos un rey para que nos gobierne», y oró al Señor. | 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. |
7 El Señor dijo a Samuel: «Escucha al pueblo en todo lo que ellos digan, porque no es a ti a quien rechazan: me rechazan a mí, para que no reine más sobre ellos. | 7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. |
8 Como se comportaron conmigo desde el día en que los hice subir de Egipto hasta el día de hoy, abandonándome a mí para servir a otros dioses, así se comportan también contigo. | 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. |
9 Por eso, escucha su reclamo. Pero les harás una solemne advertencia y les explicarás cuál es el derecho del rey que reinará sobre ellos». | 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. |
10 Samuel comunicó todas las palabras del Señor al pueblo que le pedía un rey, | 10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. |
11 diciendo: «Este será el derecho del rey que reinará sobre ustedes, los destinará a sus carros de guerra y a su caballería, y ellos correrán delante de su carro. | 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. |
12 Los empleará como jefes de mil y de cincuenta hombres, y les hará cultivar sus campos, recoger sus cosechas, y fabricar sus armas de guerra y los arneses de sus carros. | 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. |
13 Tomará a las hijas de ustedes como perfumistas, cocineras y panaderas. | 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. |
14 Les quitará a ustedes los mejores campos, viñedos y olivares, para dárselos a sus servidores. | 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. |
15 Exigirá el diezmo de los sembrados y las viñas, para entregarlo a sus eunucos y a sus servidores. | 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. |
16 Les quitará sus mejores esclavos, sus bueyes y sus asnos, para emplearlos en sus propios trabajos. | 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. |
17 Exigirá el diezmo de los rebaños, y ustedes mismos serán sus esclavos. | 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. |
18 Entonces, ustedes clamarán a causa del rey que se han elegido, pero aquel día el Señor no les responderá». | 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. |
19 El pueblo se negó a escuchar la voz de Samuel, e insistió: «¡No! Habrá un rey sobre nosotros, | 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; |
20 y así seremos como todas las naciones. Nuestro rey nos juzgará, saldrá al frente de nosotros y combatirá en nuestros combates». | 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. |
21 Samuel escuchó todas las palabras del pueblo y las repitió en presencia del Señor. | 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. |
22 El Señor dijo a Samuel: «Escúchalos y dales un rey». Entonces Samuel dijo a los hombres de Israel: «Vuelvan cada uno a su ciudad». | 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city. |