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1 Samuel 8:1-22 — Israel Asks for a King

1Sam.8.1-22

¹Now when Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. ²The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. ³But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. ⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ⁵They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶But the matter was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. ⁷And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. ⁸According to all the deeds that they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day—forsaking me and serving other gods—so they are also doing to you. ⁹Now therefore, listen to their voice; however, you must solemnly warn them and declare to them the manner of the king who will reign over them." ¹⁰So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹He said, "This will be the manner 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. ¹²He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. ¹³He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ¹⁴He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. ¹⁵He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards, and give it to his officials and to his servants. ¹⁶He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. ¹⁷He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." ¹⁹But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but rather a king shall be over us, ²⁰that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." ²¹When Samuel heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. ²²And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice , and appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel , “Go, each man to his city.”

Translation Notes

4/11/2026

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