1 Samuel 8:1-9
New English Translation
Israel Seeks a King
8 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. 3 But his sons did not follow[a] his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.[b]
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead[c] us, just like all the other nations have.”
6 But this request displeased Samuel, for[d] they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you.[e] For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8 Just as they have done[f] from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. 9 So now do as they say.[g] But you must warn[h] them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.”[i]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 8:3 tn Heb “walk in” (also in v. 5).
- 1 Samuel 8:3 tn Heb “and they turned aside after unjust gain and took bribes and perverted justice.”
- 1 Samuel 8:5 tn Heb “judge” (also in v. 6).
- 1 Samuel 8:6 tn Heb “when.”
- 1 Samuel 8:7 tn Heb “Listen to the voice of the people, to all which they say to you.”
- 1 Samuel 8:8 tn Heb “according to all the deeds which they have done.”
- 1 Samuel 8:9 tn Heb “and now, listen to their voice.”
- 1 Samuel 8:9 tn The infinitive absolute appears before a verb of the same root to emphasize the modality of the verb. Here the imperfect verb expresses obligative modality, prescribing what he should do. So the nuance of the preceding infinitive absolute is “you must,” or “you certainly must.”
- 1 Samuel 8:9 tn Heb “and tell them the manner of the king who will rule over them.”
1 Samuel 8:1-9
American Standard Version
8 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah; 5 and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah. 7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
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