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1 Samuel 8
New English Translation

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.”

6 But this request displeased Samuel, for[d] they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you.[e] For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8 Just as they have done[f] from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. 9 So now do as they say.[g] But you must warn[h] them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.”[i]

10 So Samuel spoke all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. 12 He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties,[j] as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. 13 He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. 14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his own servants. 15 He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators[k] and his servants. 16 He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. 17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. 18 In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you in that day.”[l]

19 But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning.[m] Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us! 20 We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us[n] and fight our battles.”

21 So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the Lord.[o] 22 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do as they say[p] and install a king over them.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go back to his own city.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:3 tn Heb “walk in” (also in v. 5).
  2. 1 Samuel 8:3 tn Heb “and they turned aside after unjust gain and took bribes and perverted justice.”
  3. 1 Samuel 8:5 tn Heb “judge” (also in v. 6).
  4. 1 Samuel 8:6 tn Heb “when.”
  5. 1 Samuel 8:7 tn Heb “Listen to the voice of the people, to all which they say to you.”
  6. 1 Samuel 8:8 tn Heb “according to all the deeds which they have done.”
  7. 1 Samuel 8:9 tn Heb “and now, listen to their voice.”
  8. 1 Samuel 8:9 tn The infinitive absolute appears before a verb of the same root to emphasize the modality of the verb. Here the imperfect verb expresses obligative modality, prescribing what he should do. So the nuance of the preceding infinitive absolute is “you must,” or “you certainly must.”
  9. 1 Samuel 8:9 tn Heb “and tell them the manner of the king who will rule over them.”
  10. 1 Samuel 8:12 tc The numbers of v. 12 are confused in the Greek and Syriac versions. For “fifties” the LXX has “hundreds.” The Syriac Peshitta has “heads of thousands and heads of hundreds and heads of fifties and heads of tens,” perhaps reflecting influence from Deut 1:15.
  11. 1 Samuel 8:15 tn Or “eunuchs” (so NAB); NIV “officials”; KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT “officers.”
  12. 1 Samuel 8:18 tc The LXX adds “because you have chosen for yourselves a king.”
  13. 1 Samuel 8:19 tn Heb “and the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel.”
  14. 1 Samuel 8:20 tn Heb “and go out before us.”
  15. 1 Samuel 8:21 tn Heb “and Samuel heard all the words of the people and he spoke them into the ears of the Lord.”
  16. 1 Samuel 8:22 tn Heb “listen to their voice.”
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撒母耳记上 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

以色列人要求立王

8 撒母耳在年老的时候立了他的儿子做以色列人的士师。 2 他的长子是约珥，次子是亚比亚，他们在别示巴做士师。 3 然而，他们没有效法自己的父亲，而是爱慕不义之财，贪赃枉法。

4 于是，以色列的长老一起到拉玛去见撒母耳， 5 说：“你年纪大了，你的儿子不效法你。现在求你为我们立一个王治理我们，像其他国家一样。” 6 撒母耳听到他们要求立一个王治理他们，心中不悦，就向耶和华祷告。 7 耶和华对撒母耳说：“你照他们所说的去做吧，因为他们不是拒绝你，而是拒绝我做他们的王。 8 自从我把他们从埃及领出来以后，他们就常常背弃我，去供奉其他神明。现在，他们也这样对待你。 9 你就照他们所求的去做吧！但你要警告他们，让他们知道将来王会怎样管辖他们。”

10 撒母耳就把耶和华的话转告给那些请求他立王的民众，说： 11 “将来管辖你们的王会征用你们的儿子做他的战车兵、骑兵，要他们跑在他的战车前面。 12 他会派一些人做千夫长、五十夫长，一些人为他耕种田地、收割庄稼，一些人制造兵器和战车的装备。 13 他会把你们的女儿带走，要她们给他造香膏、煮饭和烤饼。 14 他会夺去你们最好的田地、葡萄园和橄榄园，送给他的臣仆。 15 他会从你们的粮食和葡萄园的出产中收取十分之一，送给他的官员和臣仆。 16 他会征用你们的仆婢及最好的牛[a]和驴来为他效劳。 17 他会拿去你们羊群的十分之一，并让你们做他的奴仆。 18 将来你们会因所选之王的压迫而呼求耶和华，耶和华却不会垂听你们。”

19 民众却不肯听从撒母耳的话。他们说：“不，我们想要一个王治理我们， 20 这样我们就会像其他国家一样，有王来统治我们，率领我们，为我们作战。” 21 撒母耳把这些人的话一五一十地告诉了耶和华。 22 耶和华对撒母耳说：“照他们说的去为他们立一个王吧。”于是，撒母耳对以色列人说：“你们各人回自己的城去吧。”

Footnotes

  1. 8:16 “牛”有古卷作“青年”。
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