And it came to pass, when Samuel was old
, that he made
his sons
judges
over Israel
.
Now the name of his firstborn
was Joel
; and the name
of his second
, Abiah
: they were judges
in Beersheba
.
And his sons walked
not in his ways
, but turned aside
after
lucre
, and took
bribes
, and perverted
judgment
.
Then all the elders of Israel
gathered themselves together
, and came
to Samuel
unto Ramah
,
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
.
But the thing displeased
Samuel
, when they said
, Give
us a king
to judge
us. And Samuel
prayed
unto the LORD
.
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.
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.
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.
And Samuel told
all the words
of the LORD
unto the people
that asked
of him a king
.
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
.
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
.
And he will take your daughters
to be confectionaries
, and to be cooks
, and to be bakers
.
And he will take your fields
, and your vineyards
, and your oliveyards
, even the best
of them , and give
them to his servants
.
And he will take the tenth of your seed
, and of your vineyards
, and give
to his officers
, and to his servants
.
And he will take your menservants
, and your maidservants
, and your goodliest
young men
, and your asses
, and put
them to his work
.
He will take the tenth of your sheep
: and ye shall be his servants
.
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
.
Nevertheless the people refused
to obey
the voice
of Samuel
; and they said
, Nay; but we will have a king
over us;
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
.
And Samuel heard
all the words
of the people
, and he rehearsed
them in the ears
of the LORD
.
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
.