1 Samuel 8

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.	1 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee.	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 they 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 ancients of Israel being assembled, came to Samuel to Ramatha.	4 Therefore all the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramah
5 And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have.	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 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king, to judge us. And Samuel prayed to 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 to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but 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 their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange 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 to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right 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 Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,	10 Samuel delivered the message of the LORD in full to those who were asking him for a king.
11 And said: This will be the right of the king, that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen to 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 of them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and 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 Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and 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 best oliveyards, 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 Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give his eunuchs and servants.	15 He will tithe your crops and your vineyards, and give the revenue to his eunuchs and his slaves.
16 Your servants also and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses he will take away, 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 Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.	17 He will tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18 And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves. and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.	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 But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said: Nay: but there shall be 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 And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and tight our battles for 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 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and 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 to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to 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."