The People of Israel Want a King
1-2 Samuel had two sons. The older one was Joel, and the younger one was Abijah. When Samuel was getting old, he let them be leaders at Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father. They were dishonest and accepted bribes to give unfair decisions.
4 One day the nation's leaders came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said, “You are an old man. You set a good example for your sons, but they haven't followed it. Now we want a king to be our leader, just like all the other nations. Choose one for us!”
6 Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say they wanted a king, so he prayed about it. 7 The Lord answered:
Samuel, do everything they want you to do. I am really the one they have rejected as their king. 8 Ever since the day I rescued my people from Egypt, they have turned from me to worship idols. Now they are turning away from you. 9 Do everything they ask, but warn them and tell them how a king will treat them.
10 Samuel told the people who were asking for a king what the Lord had said:
11 If you have a king, this is how he will treat you. He will force your sons to join his army. Some of them will ride in his chariots, some will serve in the cavalry, and others will run ahead of his own chariot. 12 Some of them will be officers in charge of 1,000 soldiers, and others will be in charge of 50. Still others will have to farm the king's land and harvest his crops, or make weapons and parts for his chariots. 13 Your daughters will have to make perfume or do his cooking and baking.
14 The king will take your best fields, as well as your vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his own officials. 15 He will also take a tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and officials.
16 The king will take your slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work. 17 He will also take a tenth of your sheep and goats. You will become the king's slaves, 18 and you will finally cry out for the Lord to save you from the king you wanted. But the Lord won't answer your prayers.
19-20 The people would not listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want to be like other nations. We want a king to rule us and lead us in battle.”
21 Samuel listened to them and then told the Lord exactly what they had said. 22 “Do what they want,” the Lord answered. “Give them a king.”
Samuel told the people to go back to their homes.
1 When Samuel was nowe become olde, he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel. 2 (And the name of his eldest sonne was Ioel, and the name of the second Abiah) euen Iudges in Beer-sheba. 3 And his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and tooke rewards, and peruerted the iudgement. 4 Wherefore all the Elders of Israel gathered them together, and came to Samuel vnto Ramah, 5 And said vnto him, Beholde, thou art olde, and thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes: make vs nowe a King to iudge vs like all nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Giue vs a King to iudge vs: and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord. 7 And the Lord said vnto Samuel, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee: for they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me away, that I should not reigne ouer the. 8 As they haue euer done since I brought them out of Egypt euen vnto this day, (and haue forsaken me, and serued other gods) euen so doe they vnto thee. 9 Nowe therefore hearken vnto their voyce: howbeit yet testifie vnto them, and shewe them the maner of ye King that shall reigne ouer them. 10 So Samuel told all the wordes of the Lord vnto the people that asked a King of him. 11 And he saide, This shall be the maner of the King that shall reigne ouer you: he will take your sonnes, and appoint them to his charets, and to be his horsemen, and some shall runne before his charet. 12 Also he will make them his captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer fifties, and to eare his ground, and to reape his haruest, and to make instruments of warre, and the thinges that serue for his charets. 13 He will also take your daughters and make them apoticaries, and cookes, and bakers. 14 And he will take your fieldes, and your vineyardes, and your best Oliue trees, and giue them to his seruants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seede, and of your vineyards, and giue it to his Eunuches, and to his seruants. 16 And he will take your men seruants, and your maide seruants, and the chiefe of your yong men, and your asses, and put them to his worke. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheepe, and ye shall be his seruants. 18 And ye shall crie out at that day, because of your King, whom ye haue chosen you, and the Lord will not heare you at that day. 19 But the people would not heare the voyce of Samuel, but did say, Nay, but there shall be a King ouer vs. 20 And we also will be like all other nations, and our King shall iudge vs, and goe out before vs, and fight our battels. 21 Therefore when Samuel heard all ye wordes of ye people, he rehearsed the in ye eares of ye Lord. 22 And the Lord saide to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe euery man vnto his citie.