Israel Demands a King

8 And it came about when Samuel was old, that he installed his sons as judges for Israel. ² Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judging in Beersheba. ³ But his sons did not walk in his way, for they followed after unlawful gain, and they took bribes, and they perverted justice.

⁴ And all the elders of Israel gathered together and they came to Samuel at Ramah. ⁵ They said to him, “You are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now, install for us a king to govern us like all the nations.”

⁶ But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, because they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. ⁷ The Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in relation to all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but Me they have rejected from reigning over them. ⁸ Just as all the deeds which they have done to Me, from the day I brought them up from Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken Me and have served other gods, so they are doing also to you now. ⁹ Now then, obey their voice. Only you will testify against them and proclaim to them the judgment concerning the king who will reign over them.”