1 Samuel 8

1In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2His firstborn son was named Joel, and his second Abijah. They served as judges in Beersheba. 3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain; they took bribes and bent justice.

4So all the elders of Israel came together and went to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. So now appoint a king to judge us, as all the nations have.” 6But Samuel was displeased when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” and he prayed to the LORD.

7The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the people in everything they are saying to you. It is not you they have rejected; it is me they have rejected as their king. 8They are doing to you just what they have always done since the day I brought them up from Egypt: to this very day they have forsaken me and served other gods. 9So now, do as they ask. But you must warn them solemnly and tell them the ways of the king who will reign over them.”

10So Samuel told the people who were asking him for a king all that the LORD had said.

11He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: your sons he will take and put to work for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and they will run in front of his chariots, 12and he will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his fields and reap his harvest and make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14The best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves he will take and hand over to his officials. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your grape harvest and give it to his court officials and his servants. 16He will take your male and female servants, the best of your young men, and your donkeys, and put them to work for himself. 17Of your flocks he will take a tenth, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you then.” 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No,” they said, “we will have a king over us, 20so that we too may be like all the nations. Our king will judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21When Samuel had heard all that the people said, he repeated it to the LORD.

22The LORD said to Samuel, “Do as they ask, and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go back, each of you, to your own town.”