[1] It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over
Israel. [2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his
second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba. [3] His sons didn`t walk in
his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted
justice. [4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together,
and came to Samuel to Ramah; [5] and they said to him, Behold, you are old,
and your sons don`t walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like
all the nations. [6] But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give
us a king to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh. [7] Yahweh said to Samuel,
Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have
not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over
them. [8] According to all the works which they have done since the day
that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have
forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. [9] Now
therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to
them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.
[10] Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a
king. [11] He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign
over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his
chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
[12] and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and
captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap
his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his
chariots. [13] He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be
cooks, and to be bakers. [14] He will take your fields, and your vineyards,
and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his
servants. [15] He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards,
and give to his officers, and to his servants. [16] He will take your
men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your best young men, and your
donkeys, and put them to his work. [17] He will take the tenth of your
flocks: and you shall be his servants. [18] You shall cry out in that day
because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not
answer you in that day. [19] But the people refused to listen to the voice
of Samuel; and they said, No: but we will have a king over us, [20] 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. [21] Samuel heard all the words of
the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. [22] Yahweh said
to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the
men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.
