⁷ And the Lord told him: “Listen^(A) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,^(B) but they have rejected me as their king.^{(C) 8} As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking^(D) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ⁹ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know^(E) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

¹⁰ Samuel told^(F) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹ He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take^(G) your sons and make them serve^(H) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.^{(I) 12} Some he will assign to be commanders^(J) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your^(K) fields and vineyards^(L) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.^{(M) 15} He will take a tenth^(N) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[a] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer^(O) you in that day.^(P)”

¹⁹ But the people refused^(Q) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want^(R) a king^(S) over us. ²⁰ Then we will be like all the other nations,^(T) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

²¹ When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated^(U) it before the Lord. ²² The Lord answered, “Listen^(V) to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”