1 Samuel 8
La Palabra (España)
II.— SAMUEL Y SAÚL (8—15)
Institución de la monarquía (8—12)
Israel pide un rey
8 Cuando Samuel se hizo viejo nombró a sus hijos jueces de Israel. 2 El primogénito se llamaba Joel y el segundo Abías, y ambos ejercían en Berseba. 3 Sin embargo sus hijos no siguieron sus pasos, pues buscaban su provecho, aceptaban sobornos y pervertían la justicia. 4 Por ello, todos los ancianos de Israel se reunieron, fueron a Ramá a ver a Samuel 5 y le dijeron:
— Mira, tú ya eres viejo y tus hijos no siguen tus pasos. Por tanto, nómbranos un rey que nos gobierne, como en todas las naciones.
6 Le disgustó a Samuel el hecho de que le pidieran un rey para que los gobernara y se puso a orar al Señor. 7 Pero el Señor le dijo:
— Escucha la voz del pueblo en todo lo que te pidan, pues no te rechazan a ti, sino que es a mí a quien rechazan como rey suyo. 8 Lo mismo que me han tratado a mí desde que los saqué de Egipto hasta hoy, abandonándome para dar culto a otros dioses, así te tratan también a ti. 9 Ahora, pues, escúchalos; pero ponlos sobre aviso y dales a conocer los privilegios del rey que reinará sobre ellos.
10 Samuel transmitió las palabras del Señor a la gente que le pedía un rey 11 y les dijo:
— Estos serán los derechos del rey que os gobierne: alistará a vuestros hijos y a unos los destinará a sus carros y a sus caballos para que vayan delante de su carroza; 12 a otros los nombrará jefes y oficiales de su ejército; a otros los pondrá a trabajar sus campos y a cuidar sus cosechas, o a fabricar su armamento y los pertrechos de sus carros. 13 A vuestras hijas las pondrá a su servicio como perfumistas, cocineras o panaderas. 14 Requisará vuestros mejores campos, viñas y olivares para dárselos a sus funcionarios. 15 Os cobrará el diezmo de vuestros cereales y viñas y se lo dará a sus oficiales y funcionarios. 16 Os quitará vuestros siervos y siervas junto con vuestros mejores bueyes y asnos para emplearlos en sus trabajos. 17 Os exigirá impuestos por vuestros rebaños, y vosotros mismos os convertiréis en sus esclavos. 18 En ese momento os quejaréis del rey que habíais elegido, pero entonces el Señor no os responderá. 19 El pueblo no quiso escuchar a Samuel e insistió:
— ¡No importa! Queremos tener rey. 20 Así también nosotros seremos como todos los pueblos: nuestro rey nos gobernará y nos conducirá a luchar en las guerras.
21 Samuel escuchó lo que decía el pueblo y se lo comunicó al Señor. 22 El Señor le contestó:
— Atiende a su petición y nómbrales un rey.
Entonces Samuel ordenó a los israelitas:
— ¡Todo el mundo a sus pueblos!
1 Samuel 8
Legacy Standard Bible
Israel Tells Samuel to Appoint a King
8 And it happened when Samuel was old that (A)he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in (B)Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and (C)took bribes and caused justice to turn aside.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at (D)Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now (E)appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was (F)evil in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And (G)Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for (H)they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8 Like 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 forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 So now, listen to their voice; (I)however, you shall solemnly [a]testify to them and tell them of (J)the [b]custom of the king who will reign over them.”
The People Refuse Samuel’s Words
10 So Samuel spoke all the words of Yahweh to (K)the people who had asked of him a king. 11 And he said, “(L)This will be the [c]custom of the king who will reign over you: (M)he will take your sons and appoint them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and (N)they will run before his chariots. 12 (O)And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to [d]do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 (P)He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his [e]servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will also take your male slaves and your female slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and [f]use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 Then (Q)you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but (R)Yahweh will not answer you in that day.”
19 Nevertheless, the people (S)refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 (T)that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 So Samuel heard all the words of the people, and (U)he repeated them in the hearing of Yahweh. 22 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “(V)Listen to their voice and [g]appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 8:9 Or warn
- 1 Samuel 8:9 Lit judgment
- 1 Samuel 8:11 Lit judgment
- 1 Samuel 8:12 Lit plow his plowing
- 1 Samuel 8:14 Or slave, cf. 8:16; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
- 1 Samuel 8:16 Lit make
- 1 Samuel 8:22 Lit cause a king to reign for them
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
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