1 Samuel 8:1-10

English Standard Version

Israel Demands a King

8 When Samuel became old, ^(A)he made his sons judges over Israel. ²The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. ³Yet his sons did not walk in his ways ^(B)but turned aside after gain. ^(C)They took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ^(D)Ramah ⁵and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. ^(E)Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. ⁷And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, ^(F)for they have not rejected you, ^(G)but they have rejected me from being king over them. ⁸According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. ⁹Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them ^(H)and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”