1Sa 8 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now it came about , when Samuel was old , that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel .

1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

1 Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that ^ahe 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 ^bBeersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they ^ctook bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ^dRamah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ^eappoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the matter was ^{▼▼Or evil
,} ^gdispleasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And ^hSamuel 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 ⁱthey 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; ^jhowever, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of ^kthe ^{▼▼Lit custom}practice of the king who will reign over them.”

Warning concerning a King

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to ^mthe people who had asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “ ⁿThis will be the ^{▼▼Lit custom}practice of the king who will reign over you: ^phe will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and ^qthey will run before his chariots. 12 ^rHe will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to ^{▼▼Lit plow his plowing}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 ^tHe 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 ^{▼▼Lit make}use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 18 Then ^vyou will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but ^wthe Lord will not answer you on that day.”

19 Yet the people ^xrefused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 ^yso 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, ^zhe ^{▼▼Lit spoke}repeated them in the Lord’s hearing. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “ ^abListen to their voice and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”