1 Samuel 8:6-20

New International Version

⁶But when they said, “Give us a king^(A) to lead us,” this displeased^(B) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷And the Lord told him: “Listen^(C) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,^(D) but they have rejected me as their king.^(E) ⁸As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking^(F) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ⁹Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know^(G) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

¹⁰Samuel told^(H) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take^(I) your sons and make them serve^(J) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.^(K) ¹²Some he will assign to be commanders^(L) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴He will take the best of your^(M) fields and vineyards^(N) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.^(O) ¹⁵He will take a tenth^(P) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[a] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer^(Q) you in that day.^(R)”

¹⁹But the people refused^(S) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want^(T) a king^(U) over us. ²⁰Then we will be like all the other nations,^(V) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1 Samuel 8:16 Septuagint; Hebrew young men

Psalm 2

New International Version

Psalm 2

¹Why do the nations conspire^[a]
    and the peoples plot^(A) in vain?
²The kings^(B) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,^(C) saying,
³“Let us break their chains^(D)
    and throw off their shackles.”^(E)

⁴The One enthroned^(F) in heaven laughs;^(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵He rebukes them in his anger^(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,^(I) saying,
⁶“I have installed my king^(J)
    on Zion,^(K) my holy mountain.^(L)”

⁷I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;^(M)
    today I have become your father.^(N)
⁸Ask me,
    and I will make the nations^(O) your inheritance,^(P)
    the ends of the earth^(Q) your possession.
⁹You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];^(R)
    you will dash them to pieces^(S) like pottery.^(T)”

¹⁰Therefore, you kings, be wise;^(U)
    be warned, you rulers^(V) of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear^(W)
    and celebrate his rule^(X) with trembling.^(Y)
¹²Kiss his son,^(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath^(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed^(AB) are all who take refuge^(AC) in him.