Israel Demands a King

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

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and 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.”

But the thing (H)displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel (I)prayed to the Lord. And 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. According 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. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and (L)show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, (M)“This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your (N)sons and appoint them for his own (O)chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will (P)appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And (Q)he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest [a]young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord (R)will not hear you in that day.”

19 Nevertheless the people (S)refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be (T)like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. 22 So the Lord said to Samuel, (U)“Heed their voice, and make them a king.”

And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:16 LXX cattle

Israel Demands a King

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

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at (D)Ramah; and 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.” But 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. And 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. 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 abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well. Now then, listen to their voice; (I)however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of (J)the [b]practice of the king who will reign over them.”

Warning concerning a King

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to (K)the people who had asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “(L)This will be the [c]practice of the king who will reign over you: (M)he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and (N)they will run before his chariots. 12 (O)He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to [d]do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 (P)He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants. 16 He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and [e]use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 18 Then (Q)you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but (R)the Lord will not answer you on that day.”

19 Yet 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)so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, (U)he [f]repeated them in the Lords hearing. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “(V)Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:6 Or evil
  2. 1 Samuel 8:9 Lit custom
  3. 1 Samuel 8:11 Lit custom
  4. 1 Samuel 8:12 Lit plow his plowing
  5. 1 Samuel 8:16 Lit make
  6. 1 Samuel 8:21 Lit spoke

At nangyari, nang si Samuel ay matanda na, na kaniyang ginawang mga hukom sa Israel ang kaniyang mga anak.

Ang pangalan nga ng kaniyang panganay ay Joel; at ang pangalan ng kaniyang ikalawa ay Abia: sila'y mga hukom sa Beer-seba.

At ang kaniyang mga anak ay hindi lumakad sa kaniyang mga daan, kundi lumingap sa mahalay na kapakinabangan, at tumanggap ng mga suhol, at sinira ang paghatol.

Nang magkagayo'y nagpipisan ang mga matanda ng Israel, at naparoon kay Samuel sa Ramatha;

At kanilang sinabi sa kaniya, Narito, ikaw ay matanda na, at ang iyong mga anak ay hindi lumalakad sa iyong mga daan: ngayon nga'y lagyan mo kami ng isang hari upang humatol sa amin gaya ng lahat ng mga bansa.

Nguni't hindi minabuti ni Samuel, nang kanilang sabihin, Bigyan mo kami ng isang hari upang humatol sa amin. At si Samuel ay nanalangin sa Panginoon.

At sinabi ng Panginoon kay Samuel, Dinggin mo ang tinig ng bayan sa lahat ng kanilang sinasabi sa iyo; sapagka't hindi ikaw ang kanilang itinakuwil, kundi itinakuwil nila ako, upang huwag akong maghari sa kanila.

Ayon sa lahat na gawa na kanilang ginawa mula nang araw na iahon ko sila mula sa Egipto hanggang sa araw na ito, sa kanilang pagiiwan sa akin, at paglilingkod sa ibang mga dios ay gayon ang ginagawa nila sa iyo.

Ngayon nga'y dinggin mo ang kanilang tinig: gayon ma'y tatanggi kang mainam sa kanila, at ipakikilala mo sa kanila ang paraan ng hari na maghahari sa kanila.

10 At isinaysay ni Samuel ang buong salita ng Panginoon sa bayan na humihingi sa kaniya ng isang hari.

11 At kaniyang sinabi, Ito ang magiging paraan ng hari na maghahari sa inyo: kaniyang kukunin ang inyong mga anak at kaniyang ilalagay sa kaniyang mga karo, at upang maging mga mangangabayo niya; at sila'y tatakbo sa unahan ng kaniyang mga karo;

12 At kaniyang mga ihahalal sa kaniya na mga kapitan ng lilibuhin at mga kapitan ng lilimangpuin; at ang iba ay upang umararo ng kaniyang lupa, at umani ng kaniyang aanihin, at upang gumawa ng kaniyang mga sangkap na pangdigma, at sangkap sa kaniyang mga karo.

13 At kaniyang kukunin ang inyong mga anak na babae upang maging mga manggagawa ng pabango, at maging mga tagapagluto, at maging mga magtitinapay.

14 At kaniyang kukunin ang inyong mga bukid, at ang inyong mga ubasan, at ang inyong mga olibohan, sa makatuwid baga'y ang pinakamabuti sa mga yaon, upang mga ibigay sa kaniyang mga lingkod.

15 At kaniyang kukunin ang ika-sangpung bahagi ng inyong binhi, at ng inyong mga ubasan, at ibibigay sa kaniyang mga punong kawal, at sa kaniyang mga lingkod.

16 At kaniyang kukunin ang inyong mga aliping lalake at babae, at ang inyong pinakamabuting bataan, at ang inyong mga asno, at mga ilalagay sa kaniyang mga gawain.

17 Kaniyang kukunin ang ikasangpung bahagi ng inyong mga kawan: at kayo'y magiging kaniyang mga lingkod.

18 At kayo'y dadaing sa araw na yaon, dahil sa inyong hari na inyong pipiliin; at hindi kayo sasagutin ng Panginoon sa araw na yaon.

19 Nguni't tinanggihang dinggin ng bayan ang tinig ni Samuel; at kanilang sinabi, Hindi; kundi magkakaroon kami ng hari sa amin;

20 Upang kami naman ay maging gaya ng lahat ng mga bansa, at upang hatulan kami ng aming hari, at lumabas sa unahan namin, at ipakipaglaban ang aming pakikipagbaka.

21 At narinig ni Samuel ang lahat ng mga salita ng bayan, at kaniyang mga isinaysay sa pakinig ng Panginoon.

22 At sinabi ng Panginoon kay Samuel, Dinggin mo ang kanilang tinig at lagyan mo sila ng hari. At sinabi ni Samuel sa mga tao sa Israel, Yumaon ang bawa't isa sa inyo sa kanikaniyang bayan.