1 Samuel 8

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges of Israel.	1 And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2 His eldest son was cal ed Joel and his second one, Abijah; they were judges at Beersheba.	2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.
3 His sons did not fol ow his example but, seduced by the love of money, took bribes and gave biasedverdicts.	3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.
4 The elders of Israel all assembled, went back to Samuel at Ramah, and said,	4 Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.
5 'Look, you are old, and your sons are not fol owing your example. So give us a king to judge us, like theother nations.'	5 And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”
6 Samuel thought that it was wrong of them to say, 'Let us have a king to judge us,' so he prayed toYahweh.	6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, 'Obey the voice of the people in al that they say to you: it is not you theyhave rejected	7 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.
8 but me, not wishing me to reign over them any more. They are now doing to you exactly what they havedone to me since the day I brought them out of Egypt until now, deserting me and serving other gods.	8 In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.
9 So, do what they ask; only, you must give them a solemn warning, and must tell them what the kingwho is to reign over them will do.'	9 Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”
10 Everything that Yahweh had said, Samuel then repeated to the people who were asking him for aking.	10 And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.
11 He said, 'This is what the king who is to reign over you wil do. He wil take your sons and direct themto his chariotry and cavalry, and they wil run in front of his chariot.	11 And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.
12 He wil use them as leaders of a thousand and leaders of fifty; he wil make them plough his fields andgather in his harvest and make his weapons of war and the gear for his chariots.	12 And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.
13 He wil take your daughters as perfumers, cooks and bakers.	13 Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.
14 He wil take the best of your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his officials.	14 Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.
15 He wil tithe your crops and vineyards to provide for his courtiers and his officials.	15 Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.
16 He wil take the best of your servants, men and women, of your oxen and your donkeys, and makethem work for him.	16 Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.
17 He wil tithe your flocks, and you yourselves wil become his slaves.	17 Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.
18 When that day comes, you wil cry aloud because of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but onthat day Yahweh wil not hear you.'	18 And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”
19 The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel. They said, 'No! We are determined to have a king,	19 But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,
20 so that we can be like the other nations, with our own king to rule us and lead us and fight our battles.'	20 and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”
21 Samuel listened to al that the people had to say and repeated it in Yahweh's ear.	21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them to the ears of the Lord.
22 Yahweh then said to Samuel, 'Do as they ask and give them a king.' Samuel then said to theIsraelites, 'Go home, each of you, to his own town.'	22 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”