⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ^(A)Ramah; ⁵ and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ^(B)appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶ But the matter was ^[a](C)displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And ^(D)Samuel prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because ^(E)they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them. ⁸ 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. ⁹ Now then, listen to their voice; ^(F)however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of ^(G)the ^[b]practice of the king who will reign over them.”

¹⁹ Then all the people said to Samuel, “^(A)Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so that we do not die; for we have added to all our sins ^(B)this evil, by asking for ourselves a king.” ²⁰ Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet ^(C)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ Indeed, you must not turn aside, for then you would go after ^(D)useless things which cannot benefit or save, because they are useless. ²² For ^(E)the Lord will not abandon His people ^(F)on account of His great name, because the Lord ^(G)has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. ²³ Furthermore, as for me, ^(H)far be it from me that I would sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but ^(I)I will instruct you in the good and right way. ^24 (J)Only ^[a]fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider ^(K)what great things He has done for you. ^25 (L)But if you still do evil, ^(M)both you and your king ^(N)will be swept away.”