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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 told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself to his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 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 of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his servants. 18 Then you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you on that day [because you have rejected Him as King].”

19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 so that we too may be like all the nations [around us], that our king may judge [and govern] us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 Samuel had heard all the words of the people and repeated them [a]to the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their [b]request and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, each man to his own city.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:21 Lit in the Lord’s hearing.
  2. 1 Samuel 8:22 Lit voice.