1 Samuel 8

¹ In his old age Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel.

² His first-born was named Joel, his second son, Abijah; they judged at Beer-sheba.

³ His sons did not follow his example but sought illicit gain and accepted bribes, perverting justice.

⁴ Therefore all the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramah

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 Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the LORD, however,

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 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 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 Samuel delivered the message of the LORD in full to those who were asking him for a king.

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 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 He will use your daughters as ointment-makers, as cooks, and as bakers.

¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his officials.

¹⁵ He will tithe your crops and your vineyards, and give the revenue to his eunuchs and his slaves.

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 tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves.

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 The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel's warning and said, "Not so! There must be a king over us.

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 When Samuel had listened to all the people had to say, he repeated it to the LORD,

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."