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1 Samuel 8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

II. Establishment of the Monarchy

Chapter 8

Request for a King. 1 [a]In his old age Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel.(A) 2 His firstborn was named Joel, his second son, Abijah; they judged at Beer-sheba. 3 His sons did not follow his example, but looked to their own gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.(B) 4 Therefore all the elders of Israel assembled and went to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, like all the nations, to rule us.”(C)

6 Samuel was displeased when they said, “Give us a king to rule us.” But he prayed to the Lord. 7 The Lord said: Listen to whatever the people say. You are not the one they are rejecting. They are rejecting me as their king.(D) 8 They are acting toward you just as they have acted from the day I brought them up from Egypt to this very day, deserting me to serve other gods. 9 Now listen to them; but at the same time, give them a solemn warning and inform them of the rights of the king who will rule them.

The Governance of the King. 10 Samuel delivered the message of the Lord in full to those who were asking him for a king. 11 He told them: “The governance of the king who will rule you will be as follows: He will take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they will run before his chariot.(E) 12 He will appoint from among them his commanders of thousands and of hundreds. He will make them do his plowing and harvesting and produce his weapons of war and chariotry.(F) 13 He will use your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his servants.(G) 15 He will tithe your crops and grape harvests to give to his officials[b] and his servants.(H) 16 He will take your male and female slaves, as well as your best oxen and donkeys, and use them to do his work. 17 He will also tithe your flocks. As for you, you will become his slaves.(I) 18 On that day you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.”

Persistent Demand. 19 The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel’s warning and said, “No! There must be a king over us.(J) 20 We too must be like all the nations, with a king to rule us, lead us in warfare, and fight our battles.” 21 Samuel listened to all the concerns of the people and then repeated them to the Lord. 22 The Lord said: Listen to them! Appoint a king to rule over them. Then Samuel said to the people of Israel, “Return, each one of you, to your own city.”[c]

Footnotes

  1. 8:1–22 From this chapter on, the editors of 1 Samuel provide two and sometimes three perspectives on the same event: e.g., the selection of Saul as king is recounted in chap. 8; 10:17–24; chap. 12.
  2. 8:15 Officials: lit., eunuchs. These high-ranking administrators were not necessarily emasculated.
  3. 8:22 To your own city: Samuel will later reassemble the people at Mizpah (10:17) to acclaim Saul as their king.
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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. 1 Samuel 8:9 Or warn
  2. 1 Samuel 8:9 Lit judgment
  3. 1 Samuel 8:11 Lit judgment
  4. 1 Samuel 8:12 Lit plow his plowing
  5. 1 Samuel 8:14 Or slave, cf. 8:16; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  6. 1 Samuel 8:16 Lit make
  7. 1 Samuel 8:22 Lit cause a king to reign for them
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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