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1 Samuel 8
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1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
2Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
2The name of his oldest son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They served as judges in Beersheba.
3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
3But his sons did not follow his example. Instead, they were greedy for money, took bribes, and were dishonest in their judgments.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;
4So all the leaders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
5and they 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.
5They said to him, 'Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. Now give us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.'
6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.
6Samuel was very upset when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us.' So he prayed to the LORD.
7And Jehovah 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 be king over them.
7The LORD told Samuel, 'Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven't rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.
8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
8They are doing to you exactly what they have done to me ever since I brought them out of Egypt. They have abandoned me to serve other gods.
9Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
9Now listen to them, but warn them strictly. Tell them exactly how a king will rule over them.'
10And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the people that asked of him a king.
10Samuel told everything the LORD had said to the people who were asking for a king.
11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
11He said, 'This is how the king who rules over you will act: He will take your sons and force them to serve with his chariots and horses, and they will have to run in front of his chariots.
12and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
12He will appoint them to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties. He will force them to plow his ground, harvest his crops, and make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
14He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his own officials.
15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage and give it to his officers and attendants.
16And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
16He will take your male and female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and make them do his work.
17He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.
17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you then.'
19But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us!
20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
20Then we will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.'