1 Samuel 8

Revised Geneva Translation

8 When Samuel had now become old, he made his sons judges over Israel,

² judges in Beersheba. The name of his eldest son was Joel and the name of the second was Abijah.

³ And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after unjust gain, and took bribes, and perverted their judgment.

⁴ Therefore, all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel, to Ramah,

⁵ and said to him, “Behold, you are old. And your sons do not walk in your ways. Make us now 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 to the LORD.

⁷ And the LORD said to Samuel, “Hear the voice of the people in all that they shall say to you. For they have not cast you away, but have cast Me away, so that I would not reign over them.

⁸ “As they have always done, since I brought them out of Egypt up until this day (forsaking Me and serving other gods), even so they do to you.

⁹ “Now, therefore, listen to their voice. However, still testify to them and show them the behavior of the king who shall reign over them.”

¹⁰ So, Samuel told all the Words of the LORD to the people who asked for a king from Him.

¹¹ And he said, “This shall be the behavior of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen. And some shall run before his chariot.

¹² “Also, he will make them his captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make instruments of war, and the things that serve for his chariots.

¹³ “He will also take your daughters and make them apothecaries and cooks and bakers.

¹⁴ “And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your best olive trees and give them to his servants.

¹⁵ “And he will take a tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs and to his servants.

¹⁶ “And he will take your menservants and your maidservants and the chief of your young men and your donkeys and put them to work for him.

¹⁷ “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you shall be his servants.

¹⁸ “And you shall cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the LORD will not hear you on that day.”

¹⁹ But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but said, “No, but there shall be a king over us!

²⁰ “And we, also, will be like all other nations; and our king shall judge us and go out before us and fight our battles!”

²¹ Therefore, when Samuel heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the Ears of the LORD.

²² And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice; and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city!”