1 Samuel 8:4

THE MESSAGE

Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.

Hebrew Names Version
Then all the Zakenim of Yisra'el gathered themselves together, and came to Shemu'el to Ramah;

King James Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

Lexham English Bible
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

English Standard Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah

New Century Version
So all the elders came together and met Samuel at Ramah.

New English Translation
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah.

Amplified Bible
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah

New American Standard Bible
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore all the Elders of Israel gathered them together, and came to Samuel vnto Ramah,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;

Contemporary English Version
One day the nation's leaders came to Samuel at Ramah

Complete Jewish Bible
All the leaders of Isra'el gathered themselves together, approached Sh'mu'el in Ramah

Darby Translation
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah,

Easy-to-Read Version
So all the elders of Israel met together and went to Ramah to meet with Samuel.

George Lamsa Translation
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramtha,

Good News Translation
Then all the leaders of Israel met together, went to Samuel in Ramah,

Literal Translation
And all the elders of Israel gathered and came in to Samuel, to Ramah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then all ye Elders in Israel gathered the selues together, & came to Ramath vnto Samuel,

American Standard Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;

Bible in Basic English
Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then all the elders of Israel gathered them together, and came to Samuel vnto Rama,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.

King James Version (1611)
Then all the Elders of Israel gathered themselues together, and came to Samuel vnto Ramah,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,

English Revised Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah:

Berean Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor alle the grettere men in birthe of Israel weren gaderid, and camen to Samuel in to Ramatha.

Young's Literal Translation
And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath,

Update Bible Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;

Webster's Bible Translation
Then all the elders of Israel assembled, and came to Samuel to Ramah,

World English Bible
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;

New King James Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,

New Living Translation
Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel.

New Life Bible
Then all the leaders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

New Revised Standard
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, - and came unto Samuel, to Ramah;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled came to Samuel to Ramatha.

Revised Standard Version
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;

Contextual Overview

⁴Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else." ⁶ When Samuel heard their demand—"Give us a king to rule us!"—he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God . ⁷ God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they're doing it to you. So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they're likely to get from a king." ¹⁰So Samuel told them, delivered God 's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. He said, "This is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and make soldiers of them—chariotry, cavalry, infantry, regimented in battalions and squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury. He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends. He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use. He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves. The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect God to answer." ¹⁹But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule us! Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles." ²¹Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God . God told Samuel, "Do what they say. Make them a king." Then Samuel dismissed the men of Israel: "Go home, each of you to your own city."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the elders: Exodus 3:16, Exodus 24:1, 2 Samuel 5:3

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 7:17 - his return 1 Kings 21:7 - Dost thou now Hosea 5:8 - Ramah

Cross-References

Jeremiah 51:27
"Raise the signal in the land, blow the shofar-trumpet for the nations. Consecrate the nations for holy work against her. Call kingdoms into service against her. Enlist Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a field marshal against her, and round up horses, locust hordes of horses! Consecrate the nations for holy work against her— the king of the Medes, his leaders and people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together,.... At some place of rendezvous appointed; these were the heads of the tribes, and fathers of the houses and families of Israel, the principal persons of age and authority:

and came to Samuel unto Ramah; the place of his nativity and abode, and where he now dwelt, and judged Israel; they went in a very respectable body with an address to him.