1 Samuel 8

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.	1 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.	2 His first-born was named Joel, his second son, Abijah; they judged at Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.	3 His sons did not follow his example but sought illicit gain and accepted bribes, perverting justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,	4 Therefore all the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramah
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.	5 and said to him, "Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us."
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.	6 Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the LORD, however,
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.	7 who said in answer: "Grant the people's every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king.
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.	8 As they have treated me constantly from the day I brought them up from Egypt to this day, deserting me and worshiping strange gods, so do they treat you too.
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.	9 Now grant their request; but at the same time, warn them solemnly and inform them of the rights of the king who will rule them."
10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.	10 Samuel delivered the message of the LORD in full to those who were asking him for a king.
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.	11 He told them: "The rights of the king who will rule you will be as follows: He will take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they will run before his chariot.
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.	12 He will also appoint from among them his commanders of groups of a thousand and of a hundred soldiers. He will set them to do his plowing and his harvesting, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.	13 He will use your daughters as ointment-makers, as cooks, and as bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.	14 He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his officials.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.	15 He will tithe your crops and your vineyards, and give the revenue to his eunuchs and his slaves.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.	16 He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best oxen and your asses, and use them to do his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.	17 He will tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves.
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.	18 When this takes place, you will complain against the king whom you have chosen, but on that day the LORD will not answer you."
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;	19 The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel's warning and said, "Not so! There must be a king over us.
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.	20 We too must be like other nations, with a king to rule us and to lead us in warfare and fight our battles."
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.	21 When Samuel had listened to all the people had to say, he repeated it to the LORD,
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.	22 who then said to him, "Grant their request and appoint a king to rule them." Samuel thereupon said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own city."