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10 So Samuel told those who had asked him for a king ·what [everything; L all 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; L this 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 [L In 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 [L refused to] listen to [L the 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 [L in 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 [L each of you] to your ·towns [own town/city].”

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Warning concerning a King

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to (A)the people who had asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “(B)This will be the [a]practice of the king who will reign over you: (C)he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and (D)they will run before his chariots. 12 (E)He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to [b]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 (F)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 [c]use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 18 Then (G)you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but (H)the Lord will not answer you on that day.”

19 Yet the people (I)refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 (J)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, (K)he [d]repeated them in the Lords hearing. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “(L)Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:11 Lit custom
  2. 1 Samuel 8:12 Lit plow his plowing
  3. 1 Samuel 8:16 Lit make
  4. 1 Samuel 8:21 Lit spoke