Israel Demands a King
1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5And 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. 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7And 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. 8According 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. 9Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
Samuel's Warning About Kings
10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18And 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.
God Grants the Request
19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22And 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.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Israel Demands a King
(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)
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 way of the king who shall reign over them.”
Samuel’s Warning
10 Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king. 11 He said, “This will be the way 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 assign 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 their best, 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 male servants, and your female 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.”
God Grants the Request
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, “Every man go to his city.”
Israel Demands a King
(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges a over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”
6 But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king. 8 Just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”
Samuel’s Warning
10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.
12 He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his weapons of war, and to equip his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants. 16 And he will take your menservants and maidservants and your best cattle b and donkeys and put them to his own use.
17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
God Grants the Request
19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”
21 Samuel listened to all the words of the people and repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.
22 “Listen to their voice,” the LORD said to Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.”
Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Everyone must go back to his city.”
Footnotes:
1 a Or governors or leaders ; similarly in verses 2, 5, 6, and 20
16 b LXX; Hebrew your best young men
Israel Demands a King
1And it cometh to pass, when Samuel is aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel. 2And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba: 3and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.
4And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath, 5and say unto him, 'Lo, thou hast become aged, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways; now, appoint to us a king, to judge us, like all the nations.' 6And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, 'Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah. 7And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Hearken to the voice of the people, to all that they say unto thee, for thee they have not rejected, but Me they have rejected, from reigning over them. 8According to all the works that they have done from the day of My bringing them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods -- so they are doing also to thee. 9And now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.'
Samuel's Warning About Kings
10And Samuel speaketh all the words of Jehovah unto the people who are asking from him a king, 11and saith, 'This is the custom of the king who doth reign over you: Your sons he doth take, and hath appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots; 12also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer. 13'And your daughters he doth take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers; 14and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards -- the best -- he doth take, and hath given to his servants. 15And your seed and your vineyards he doth tithe, and hath given to his eunuchs, and to his servants. 16And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your young men -- the best, and your asses, he doth take, and hath prepared for his own work; 17your flock he doth tithe, and ye are to him for servants. 18And ye have cried out in that day because of the king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah doth not answer you in that day.'
God Grants the Request
19And the people refuse to hearken to the voice of Samuel, and say, 'Nay, but a king is over us, 20and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king hath judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.' 21And Samuel heareth all the words of the people, and speaketh them in the ears of Jehovah; 22and Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Hearken to their voice, and thou hast caused to reign over them a king.' And Samuel saith unto the men of Israel, 'Go ye each to his city.'
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