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Israel’s Demand for a King

¹ When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.^{(C1) 2} His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.^{(C1) 3} However, his sons did not walk in his ways—they turned toward dishonest profit, took bribes, and perverted justice.^(C1)

⁴ So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.^{(C1) 5} They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”^(C1)

⁶ When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.^{(C1) 8} They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me,^(F1) since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods. ⁹ Listen to them, but solemnly warn them^(C1) and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them.”

¹⁰ Samuel told all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹ He said, “These are the rights of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. ¹² He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties,^(C1) to plow his ground and reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ¹⁴ He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.^{(C1) 15} He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. ¹⁶ He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men,^(F1) and your donkeys and use them for his work. ¹⁷ He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves,^(C1) but the Lord won’t answer you on that day.”^(C2)

¹⁹ The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. ²⁰ Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us,^(C1) and fight our battles.”

²¹ Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to the Lord.^{(F1) 22} “Listen to them,” the Lord told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.”^(C1)