1When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abiah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after money, and took bribes, and twisted justice.
5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now give us a king to judge us, like all the other nations have."
6But this displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me, so that I should not be king over them."
8"They are doing to you just as they have always done to me. From the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, they have left me and served other gods."
9"So listen to their voice. But warn them solemnly, and show them how the king who will reign over them will act."
10So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.
11He said, "This is how the king who will reign over you will act. He will take your sons and make them serve him with his chariots and as his horsemen, and some will run in front of his chariots."
12"He will appoint them to be captains over thousands and captains over fifties. He will set them to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and the gear for his chariots."
13"He will take your daughters to make perfumes, and to be cooks and bakers."
14"He will take your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants."
15"He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and his servants."
16"He will take your menservants and your maidservants, and your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work."
17"He will take a tenth of your sheep, and you yourselves will be his servants."
18"On that day you will cry out because of the king you have chosen for yourselves. But the LORD will not hear you on that day."
19Even so, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. They said, "No. We will have a king over us,"
20"so that we also may be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles."
21Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of the LORD.
22The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, every man to his own city."