# 1 Samuel 8 [[1 Samuel 7|←]] • [[1 Samuel 9|→]] --- ### 1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. ### 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: judges in Beer-sheba. ### 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. ### 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, ### 5 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. ### 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. ### 7 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. ### 8 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. ### 9 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. ### 10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. ### 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint for himself, for his chariots, and his horsemen; and shall run before his chariots. ### 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. ### 13 And he will take your daughters confectionaries, and cooks, and bakers. ### 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best and give to his servants. ### 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. ### 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put to his work. ### 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. ### 18 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. ### 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; ### 20 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. ### 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. ### 22 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.