Give us a king
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. His firstborn was Joel and his second son Abijah. They served as judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not follow his ways. They chased dishonest gain, accepted bribes and twisted justice. All the elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said: You're old now, and your sons don't follow your ways. So appoint a king to judge us, like all the other nations have. Samuel wasn't happy when they said, Give us a king to judge us. So he prayed to the Lord. The Lord told Samuel: Listen to what the people are saying. They haven't rejected you; they've rejected me as their king. They're doing to you exactly what they've done to me ever since I brought them out of Egypt: they keep abandoning me and serving other gods. Now listen to them — but give them a proper warning. Tell them exactly what the king who rules them will claim from them.
And when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. And his sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain and took bribes and twisted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel at Ramah. And they said to him: Look — you're old, and your sons don't walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing was bad in Samuel's eyes when they said: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel: Listen to the voice of the people in everything they say to you. Because they haven't thrown you off, but they've thrown me off, so I won't rule over them. According to everything they've done since the day I brought them up out of Egypt right to this day — they've left me and served other gods — that's what they're doing to you too. So listen to their voice now. Only warn them solemnly and show them the way of the king who'll rule over them.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And 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. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD 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 reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
And when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
His firstborn was Joel and his second son Abijah. They served as judges in Beersheba.
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
But his sons did not follow his ways. They chased dishonest gain, accepted bribes and twisted justice.
And his sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain and took bribes and twisted judgment.
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
All the elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel at Ramah.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
They said: You're old now, and your sons don't follow your ways. So appoint a king to judge us, like all the other nations have.
And they said to him: Look — you're old, and your sons don't walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
And 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.
Samuel wasn't happy when they said, Give us a king to judge us. So he prayed to the Lord.
But the thing was bad in Samuel's eyes when they said: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
The Lord told Samuel: Listen to what the people are saying. They haven't rejected you; they've rejected me as their king.
And the Lord said to Samuel: Listen to the voice of the people in everything they say to you. Because they haven't thrown you off, but they've thrown me off, so I won't rule over them.
And the LORD 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 reign over them.
They're doing to you exactly what they've done to me ever since I brought them out of Egypt: they keep abandoning me and serving other gods.
According to everything they've done since the day I brought them up out of Egypt right to this day — they've left me and served other gods — that's what they're doing to you too.
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
Now listen to them — but give them a proper warning. Tell them exactly what the king who rules them will claim from them.
So listen to their voice now. Only warn them solemnly and show them the way of the king who'll rule over them.
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
The way of the king
Samuel passed on every word of the Lord to the people who were demanding a king. Samuel said: This is what the king who rules you will do. He'll take your sons for his chariots and cavalry, and some will run ahead of his chariots. He'll appoint some as commanders of thousands and fifties, and others to plough his fields, reap his harvest, make his weapons and maintain his chariots. He'll take your daughters to make perfumes, cook and bake for him. He'll take your best fields, vineyards and olive groves and hand them over to his servants. He'll take a tenth of your grain and vineyards and give it to his officials and servants. He'll take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to work for him. He'll take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. When that day comes you'll cry out because of the king you chose for yourselves, but the Lord won't answer you then. But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. No, they said. We want a king over us. Then we'll be like the other nations. Our king can judge us, lead us out and fight our battles. Samuel listened to everything the people said and repeated it before the Lord. The Lord told Samuel: Listen to them and give them a king. Samuel told the Israelites: All right. Everyone go home.
And Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said: This will be the way of the king who'll rule over you. He'll take your sons and set them for himself, for his chariots and to be his horsemen. And some will run in front of his chariots. And he'll set them for himself as captains over thousands and captains over fifties, and set them to plough his ground and reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and the gear of his chariots. And he'll take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. And he'll take your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves, the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he'll take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants. And he'll take your servants and your servant women and your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He'll take a tenth of your sheep. And you'll be his servants. And you'll cry out on that day because of your king who you've chosen for yourselves. And the Lord won't hear you on that day. But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel. And they said: No, but we'll have a king over us, so we can be like all the nations too, and so our king can judge us and go out in front of us and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he told them in the ears of the Lord. And the 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 town.
And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
Samuel passed on every word of the Lord to the people who were demanding a king.
And Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king.
And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
Samuel said: This is what the king who rules you will do. He'll take your sons for his chariots and cavalry, and some will run ahead of his chariots.
And he said: This will be the way of the king who'll rule over you. He'll take your sons and set them for himself, for his chariots and to be his horsemen. And some will run in front of his chariots.
And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
He'll appoint some as commanders of thousands and fifties, and others to plough his fields, reap his harvest, make his weapons and maintain his chariots.
And he'll set them for himself as captains over thousands and captains over fifties, and set them to plough his ground and reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and the gear of his chariots.
And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
He'll take your daughters to make perfumes, cook and bake for him.
And he'll take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
He'll take your best fields, vineyards and olive groves and hand them over to his servants.
And he'll take your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves, the best of them, and give them to his servants.
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
He'll take a tenth of your grain and vineyards and give it to his officials and servants.
And he'll take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants.
And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
He'll take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to work for him.
And he'll take your servants and your servant women and your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
He'll take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.
He'll take a tenth of your sheep. And you'll be his servants.
He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
When that day comes you'll cry out because of the king you chose for yourselves, but the Lord won't answer you then.
And you'll cry out on that day because of your king who you've chosen for yourselves. And the Lord won't hear you on that day.
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. No, they said. We want a king over us.
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel. And they said: No, but we'll have a king over us,
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
Then we'll be like the other nations. Our king can judge us, lead us out and fight our battles.
so we can be like all the nations too, and so our king can judge us and go out in front of us and fight our battles.
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
Samuel listened to everything the people said and repeated it before the Lord.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he told them in the ears of the Lord.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
The Lord told Samuel: Listen to them and give them a king. Samuel told the Israelites: All right. Everyone go home.
And the 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 town.
And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.