Study Desk

Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

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

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

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

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 together and came to Samuel at Ramah;

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

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

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 matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

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 to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.

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.

"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 abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well.

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 then, listen to their voice; however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them."

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.

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

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 practice of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.

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.

"He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for 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.

"He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

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

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 a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants.

And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

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

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

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

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

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.

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

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

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

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.

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

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, "Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, every man to his city."

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.