King James Version

1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 And the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah; they were judges in Beer Sheba. 3 And my sons did not walk in my ways, but they turned after gain and took bribes and perverted justice. 4 And all the elders of Israel gathered, and they came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 And they said to me, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 And the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us," and Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them." 8 "Like all the deeds that they did from the day I brought them up from Egypt until this day, and they forsook me and served other gods, so they are doing also to you." 9 And now hear their voice; only you shall testify against them and declare to them the judgment of the king who will reign over them. 10 And Samuel said all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 And he said, "This shall be the judgment of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and place them in his chariots and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots." 12 And to appoint leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties and for cultivating his field and for harvesting his crops and to make his weapons of war and his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers and to be cooks and to be bakers. 14 And your fields and your vineyards and your olive trees, the good ones, he will take and give to my servants. 15 And your seed and your vineyards He will tithe and give to My eunuchs and to My servants. 16 And he will take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and will make them work for his service. 17 Your sheep will be tithed, and you will be to Him as servants. 18 And you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not answer you on that day. 19 And the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but a king will be over us." 20 And we also will be like all the nations, and our king will judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people and spoke them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hear their voice and appoint a king for them." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, each to his city."