“1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons
judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the
name of his second, Abiah: [they were] judges in Beersheba. 3 And his
sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took
bribes, and perverted judgment.”
“4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and
came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old,
and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like
all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give
us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7 And the LORD
said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they
say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected
me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works
which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt
even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other
gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now therefore hearken unto their
voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner
of the king that shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the words
of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said,
This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will
take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and
[to be] his horsemen; and [some] shall run before his chariots. 12 And
he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties;
and [will set them] to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to
make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he
will take your daughters [to be] confectionaries, and [to be] cooks, and
[to be] bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and
your oliveyards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his
servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your
vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will
take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young
men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work. 17 He will take the
tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry
out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and
the LORD will not hear you in that day. 19 Nevertheless the people
refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will
have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and
that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them
in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto
their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of
Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.” (1 Samuel 8:1-22 AV)
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