1 Samuel 7:15-8:5

New King James Version

¹⁵ And Samuel ^(A)judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶ He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. ¹⁷ But ^(B)he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he ^(C)built an altar to the Lord.

Israel Demands a King

8 Now it came to pass when Samuel was ^(D)old that he ^(E)made his ^(F)sons judges over Israel. ² The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. ³ But his sons ^(G)did not walk in his ways; they turned aside ^(H)after dishonest gain, ^(I)took bribes, and perverted justice.

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, ⁵ and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ^(J)make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”