Study Desk

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges to Israel;

and the name of his firstborn son was, Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah, - they were judges in Beer-sheba.

Howbeit his sons walked not in his ways, but stooped to extortion, - and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, - and came unto Samuel, to Ramah;

and said unto him - Lo! thou, art old, and, thy sons, walk not in thy ways: Now, appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give unto us a king to judge us. So Samuel prayed unto Yahweh.

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they shall say unto thee, - for, not thee, have they rejected, but, me, have they rejected, from being king over them.

According to all the doings which they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even until this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so, are they doing even unto thee.

Now, therefore, hearken to their voice, - save that thou, enter protest, against them, and tell them the manner of the king who will reign over them.