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NASB Bible

1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

1

And it came about when Samuel was old that  ahe appointed his sons judges over Israel.

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Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in  aBeersheba.

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His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and  atook bribes and perverted justice.

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Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at  aRamah;

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and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now  aappoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations."

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But the thing was  1 adispleasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And  bSamuel prayed to the LORD.

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The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for  athey have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

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"Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day--in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also.

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"Now then, listen to their voice;  ahowever, you shall solemnly  1warn them and tell them of  bthe  2procedure of the king who will reign over them."

Warning concerning a King

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So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to  athe people who had asked of him a king.

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He said, " aThis will be the  1procedure of the king who will reign over you:  bhe will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and  cthey will run before his chariots.

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aHe will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to  1do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

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"He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers.

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aHe will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants.

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"He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants.

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"He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and  1use them for his work.

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"He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

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"Then  ayou will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but  bthe LORD will not answer you in that day."

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Nevertheless, the people  arefused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us,

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 athat we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

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Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people,  ahe repeated them in the LORD'S hearing.

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The LORD said to Samuel, " aListen to their voice and  1appoint them a king." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."



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(Produced: Sat Dec 22 11:23:07 2007)

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