15 (A)Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to (B)Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. (C)And he built there an altar to the Lord.

Israel Demands a King

When Samuel became old, (D)he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways (E)but turned aside after gain. (F)They took bribes and perverted justice.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at (G)Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. (H)Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

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