| 1 | When Samuel was old, 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 did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. |
| 4 | All the elders of Israel assembled and came to Samuel at Ramah |
| 5 | And said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint us a king to rule over us like all the other nations. |
| 6 | But it displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to govern us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. |
| 7 | And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all they say to 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 I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they also do to you. |
| 9 | So listen now to their voice; only solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. |
| 10 | So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king. |
| 11 | And he said, These will be the ways of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. |
| 12 | He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots. |
| 13 | He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. |
| 14 | He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. |
| 15 | He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. |
| 16 | He will take your men and women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys and put them to his work. |
| 17 | He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his slaves. |
| 18 | In that day you will cry out because of your king you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not hear you then. |
| 19 | Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No! We will have a king over us, |
| 20 | That we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles. |
| 21 | Samuel heard all the people’s words and repeated them in the Lord’s ears. |
| 22 | And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice and appoint them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go every man to his city. |