1 Samuel 8
GOD’S WORD Translation
Israel Rejects the Lord as King
8 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel; the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3 The sons didn’t follow their father’s example but turned to dishonest ways of making money. They took bribes and denied people justice.
4 Then all the leaders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They told him, “You’re old, and your sons aren’t following your example. Now appoint a king to judge us so that we will be like all the other nations.”
6 But Samuel considered it wrong for them to request a king to judge them. So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 The Lord told Samuel, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven’t rejected you; they’ve rejected me. 8 They’re doing just what they’ve done since I took them out of Egypt—leaving me and serving other gods. 9 Listen to them now, but be sure to warn them and tell them about the rights of a king.”
10 Then Samuel told the people who had asked him for a king everything the Lord had said. 11 Samuel said, “These are the rights of a king:
He will draft your sons, make them serve on his chariots and horses, and make them run ahead of his chariots.
12 He will appoint them to be his officers over 1,000 or over 50 soldiers, to plow his ground and harvest his crops, and to make weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13 He will take your daughters and have them make perfumes, cook, and bake.
14 He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his officials.
15 He will take a tenth of your grain and wine and give it to his aids and officials.
16 He will take your male and female slaves, your best cattle,[a] and your donkeys for his own use.
17 He will take a tenth of your flocks.
In addition, you will be his servants.
18 “When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. The Lord will not answer you when that day comes.”
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said, “No, we want a king! 20 Then we, too, will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, lead us out ⌞to war⌟, and fight our battles.”
21 When Samuel heard everything the people had to say, he reported it privately to the Lord. 22 The Lord told him, “Listen to them, and give them a king.”
Then Samuel told the people of Israel, “Go ⌞back⌟ to your own cities.”
Footnotes
- 8:16 Greek; Masoretic Text “best young men.”
Shmuel Alef 8
Orthodox Jewish Bible
8 And it came to pass, when Shmuel was old, that he made his banim shofetim over Yisroel.
2 Now the shem of his ben habechor was Yoel; and the shem of his mishneh (second), Aviyah; they were shofetim at Be’er Sheva.
3 And his banim walked not in his drakhim, but turned aside after betza (dishonest gain), and took shochad (bribe[s]), and perverted mishpat (justice).
4 Then kol Ziknei Yisroel gathered themselves together, and came to Shmuel unto Ramah,
5 And said unto him, Hinei, thou art old, and thy banim walk not in thy drakhim; now appoint for us a Melech to judge us like kol HaGoyim.
6 But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Shmuel, when they said, Give us a Melech to judge us. And Shmuel davened unto Hashem.
7 And Hashem said unto Shmuel, Shema unto the voice of HaAm in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign as Melech over them.
8 According to all the ma’asim which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Mitzrayim even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, and served elohim acherim, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore pay heed unto their voice; howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the mishpat hamelech (customary ways of the king, kingly perogative) that shall reign over them.
10 And Shmuel told all the Divrei Hashem unto the people that asked of him a Melech.
11 And he said, This will be the mishpat hamelech that shall reign over you: he will take your banim, and appoint them for himself for his merkavah and his parashim; and some shall run before his merkavah.
12 And he will appoint for him sarei elafim, and sarei chamishim and will set them to plow his ground, and to reap his katzir (harvest), and to make his instruments of war, and his chariot equipment.
13 And he will take your banot to be perfumers, and to be tabakhot (cooks) and ofe’ot (bakers).
14 And he will take your fields, and your kramim (vineyards), and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his avadim.
15 And he will take the tenth of your zera, and of your kramim (vines), and give to his officers, and to his avadim.
16 And he will take your avadim, and your shifchot, and your finest bochurim, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your tzon; and ye shall be his avadim.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your melech which ye shall have chosen for you; and Hashem will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Shmuel; and they said, No; but we will have a Melech over us;
20 That we also may be like kol HaGoyim; and that our Melech may judge us, and go out before us, and fight milchamoteinu (our battles).
21 And Shmuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Hashem.
22 And Hashem said to Shmuel, Pay heed unto their voice, and crown them a Melech. And Shmuel said unto the Anshei Yisroel, Go ye back every ish unto his ir (town).
1 Samuel 8
New King James Version
Israel Demands a King
8 Now it came to pass when Samuel was (A)old that he (B)made his (C)sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons (D)did not walk in his ways; they turned aside (E)after dishonest gain, (F)took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now (G)make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6 But the thing (H)displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel (I)prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for (J)they have not rejected you, but (K)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 to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and (L)show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, (M)“This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your (N)sons and appoint them for his own (O)chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will (P)appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And (Q)he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest [a]young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord (R)will not hear you in that day.”
19 Nevertheless the people (S)refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be (T)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 repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. 22 So the Lord said to Samuel, (U)“Heed their voice, and make them a king.”
And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 8:16 LXX cattle
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
