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Israel Demands a King

¹ Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that ^(C1)he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.² The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in ^(C1)Beersheba.³ His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they ^(C1)took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ^(C1)Ramah;⁵ and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ^(C1)appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations."⁶ But the matter was ^(F1)(C1)displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And ^(C2)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 ^(C1)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; ^(C1)however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of ^(C2)the ^(F1)practice of the king who will reign over them."

Warning concerning a King

¹⁰ So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to ^(C1)the people who had asked him for a king.¹¹ And he said, "^(C1)This will be the ^(F1)practice of the king who will reign over you: ^(C2)he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and ^(C3)they will run before his chariots.¹² "^(C1)He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to ^(F1)do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.¹³ "He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.¹⁴ "^(C1)He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.¹⁵ "And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants.¹⁶ "He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and ^(F1)use them for his work.¹⁷ "He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.¹⁸ "Then ^(C1)you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but ^(C2)the LORD will not answer you on that day."

¹⁹ Yet the people ^(C1)refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us,^20 (C1)so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."²¹ Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, ^(C1)he ^(F1)repeated them in the LORD'S hearing.²² And the LORD said to Samuel, "^(C1)Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, every man to his city."