1 Samuel 8
1NOW when Samuel grew old he appointed his sons judges over Israel.
2And these were the names of his sons. His first born was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abia. They were judges in Bersabee.
3But his sons did not walk in his way. They turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4Whereupon all the chief men of Israel assembled, and came to Armathaim, to Samuel,
5and said to him, Behold thou art grown old, and thy sons do not walk in thy way. Now therefore appoint a king over us to judge us like the other nations.
6And the thing was evil in the sight of Samuel, that they should say, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of this people as they have spoken to thee. For they have not rejected thee; but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
8According to all that they have done to Me, from the day I brought them out of Egypt even to this day—as they have forsaken Me, and served strange gods, so they do also to thee.
9Now therefore hearken to their voice. Nevertheless testify to them, and tell them the prerogative of the king who shall reign over them.
10Upon this Samuel told the people who asked of him a king, all the words of the Lord,
11and said, This will be the prerogative of the king who shall reign over you. He will take your sons, and appoint them for his chariots, and for his horsemen, and some to run before his chariots,
12and others to be made for him captains of hundreds, and captains of thousands, and some to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and to make his implements of war, and arms for his chariots.
13And he will take your daughters for confectioners, and cooks, and bakers.
14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive orchards, and give them to his slaves.
15And he will take the tenth of your crops, and vineyards, and give it to his officers and vassals.
16He will take also your men servants, and your maid servants, and the best of your herds, and your asses, even the tenth of them, for his own works.
17He will also take a tenth of your flocks; and you shall be his slaves.
18And in that day you will cry aloud, because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves: but the Lord will not hearken to you in those days, because you have chosen a king for yourselves.
19But the people would not hearken to Samuel, but said to him, None but a king shall be over us.
20We will be like all the nations, and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21And when Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in the hearing of the Lord,
22the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and appoint a king over them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Depart every man to his city.