1 Samuel 8:10-22

Expanded Bible

¹⁰ So Samuel told those who had asked him for a king ·what [everything; ^Lall the words] the Lord had said. ¹¹ Samuel said, “If you have a king ·ruling [reigning] over you, ·this is what he will do [he will act this way; ^Lthis will be the way/manner/custom in which he will rule/reign over you]: He will ·take [draft] your sons and make them serve with his chariots and his ·horses [or charioteers; horsemen], and they will run in front of the king’s chariot. ¹² He will make some of your sons commanders over thousands or over fifties. He will make some of your other sons plow his ·ground [fields] and ·reap his harvest [harvest his crops]. He will take others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to make perfume and cook and bake for him. ¹⁴ He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his ·servants [officials; attendants]. ¹⁵ He will take ·one-tenth [a tithe] of your ·grain [crops; seed] and ·grapes [vineyards] and give it to his officers and ·servants [officials; attendants]. ¹⁶ He will take your male and female servants, your best cattle, and your donkeys and use them all for his own work. ¹⁷ He will take ·one-tenth [a tithe] of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his ·slaves [servants]. ¹⁸ ·When that time comes [^LIn that day], you will cry out because of the king you ·chose [selected]. But the Lord will not ·answer [help] you then.”

¹⁹ But the people ·would not [^Lrefused to] listen to [^Lthe voice of] Samuel. They said, “No! We ·want [are determined to have] a king to rule over us. ²⁰ Then we will be the same as all the other nations. Our king will ·judge for [govern; rule over] us and go ·with [before] us and fight our battles.”

²¹ After Samuel ·heard [listened to] all that the people said, he repeated their words ·to the Lord [^Lin the Lord’s hearing/ears]. ²² The Lord answered, “You must ·listen to them [do as they say]. ·Give [Appoint] them a king.”

Then Samuel told the people of Israel, “Go back [^Leach of you] to your ·towns [own town/city].”