They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”(A)

When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the Lord. But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king.(B)

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They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king(A) to lead[a](B) us, such as all the other nations(C) have.”

But when they said, “Give us a king(D) to lead us,” this displeased(E) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen(F) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,(G) but they have rejected me as their king.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:5 Traditionally judge; also in verses 6 and 20