Israel Seeks a King

8 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. ² The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. ³ But his sons did not follow^[a] his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.^[b]

⁴ So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. ⁵ They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead^[c] us, just like all the other nations have.”

²⁸ The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn^[a] and Abijah the second oldest.