Israel Asks for a King
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2His firstborn son was named Joel, and his second was named Abijah; they served as judges in Beersheba. 3But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to lead us, like all the other nations.” 6But it displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the people, to everything they are saying to you — for it is not you they have rejected, but me, as their king. 8As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you also. 9Now listen to them, but solemnly warn them and explain to them what the king who reigns over them will do.” 10So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who had asked him for a king. 11He said, “This is what the king who reigns over you will do: he will take your sons and assign them to his chariots and his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots. 12He will appoint some to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves and give them to his servants. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give it to his officials and his servants. 16He will take your menservants and maidservants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his own use. 17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but Yahweh will not answer you on that day.” 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No,” they said, “we want a king over us. 20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21Samuel listened to everything the people said, and repeated it to Yahweh. 22Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to them, and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your own town.”
