1 Samuel 8:1-8

New King James Version

Israel Demands a King

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

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

⁶But the thing ^(H)displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel ^(I)prayed to the Lord. ⁷And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for ^(J)they have not rejected you, but ^(K)they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. ⁸According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.

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שמואל א 8:1-8

The Westminster Leningrad Codex

8 וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר זָקֵ֖ן שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־בָּנָ֛יו שֹׁפְטִ֖ים לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

²וַיְהִ֞י שֶׁם־בְּנ֤וֹ הַבְּכוֹר֙ יוֹאֵ֔ל וְשֵׁ֥ם מִשְׁנֵ֖הוּ אֲבִיָּ֑ה שֹׁפְטִ֖ים בִּבְאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

³וְלֹֽא־הָלְכ֤וּ בָנָיו֙ ׳בִּדְרָכָו׳ ״בִּדְרָכָ֔יו״ וַיִּטּ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַבָּ֑צַע וַיִּ֨קְחוּ־שֹׁ֔חַד וַיַּטּ֖וּ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ פ

⁴וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ כֹּ֖ל זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הָרָמָֽתָה׃

⁵וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּה֙ אַתָּ֣ה זָקַ֔נְתָּ וּבָנֶ֕יךָ לֹ֥א הָלְכ֖וּ בִּדְרָכֶ֑יךָ עַתָּ֗ה שִֽׂימָה־לָּ֥נוּ מֶ֛לֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵ֖נוּ כְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃

⁶וַיֵּ֤רַע הַדָּבָר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמְר֔וּ תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ מֶ֖לֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵ֑נוּ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃ פ

⁷וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל שְׁמַע֙ בְּק֣וֹל הָעָ֔ם לְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אֹֽתְךָ֙ מָאָ֔סוּ כִּֽי־אֹתִ֥י מָאֲס֖וּ מִמְּלֹ֥ךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

⁸כְּכָֽל־הַמַּעֲשִׂ֣ים אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֗וּ מִיּוֹם֩ הַעֲלֹתִ֨י אֹתָ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ וְעַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיַּ֣עַזְבֻ֔נִי וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים כֵּ֛ן הֵ֥מָּה עֹשִׂ֖ים גַּם־לָֽךְ׃

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1 Samuel 8:1-8

New American Standard Bible

Israel Demands a King

8 Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that ^(A)he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. ²The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in ^(B)Beersheba. ³His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they ^(C)took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ^(D)Ramah; ⁵and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ^(E)appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶But the matter was ^[a]^(F)displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And ^(G)Samuel prayed to the Lord. ⁷And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because ^(H)they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them. ⁸Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well.