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The First Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 8 -

(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)
1
When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to lead the people of Israel.
2
They judged people’s disputes in the town of Beersheba.
3
But they were not like their father. They wanted only to get a lot of money. They accepted bribes, and they did not make honest decisions about people’s disputes.
4
Finally, the Israelite leaders met in the town of Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel.
5
They said to him, “Listen! You are now old, and your sons are not like you. Appoint a king to rule over us, like the kings that other countries have!”
6
Samuel was very unhappy with them for requesting that, so he prayed to Yahweh about it.
7
Yahweh replied, “Do what they have requested you to do. But do not think that you are the one whom they are really rejecting. I have been their king, and I am the one they are really rejecting.
8
Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have rejected me, and they have worshiped other gods. And now they are also rejecting you in the same way.
9
Do what they are asking you to do. But warn them about how their kings will act toward them!”

Samuel’s Warning

10
So Samuel told those people what Yahweh had said.
11
He said, “If a king rules over you, this is what he will do to you: He will force many of your sons to join the army. He will make some of them run in front of your chariots to clear things out of the way.
12
Some of them will be commanders of his soldiers, but others will work for him like slaves. He will force some of them to plow his fields and then later harvest his crops. He will force others to make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13
The king will take some of your daughters from you and force them to make perfumes for him and cook food for him and bake bread for him.
14
He will take your best fields and vineyards and olive tree groves, and give them to his own officials.
15
He will take a tenth of your harvests and distribute it among the officers and servants who work in his palace.
16
He will take from you your male and female servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and force them to work for him.
17
He will take one tenth of your sheep and goats. And you will become his slaves!
18
When that time comes, you will complain loudly to the king, the king that you yourselves have chosen, but Yahweh will not pay attention to you.”

God Grants the Request

19
But the people refused to pay attention to what Samuel said. They said, “We do not care about what you say! We want a king!
20
We want to be like the other nations. We want a king to rule us and to lead our soldiers when they go to fight.”
21
When Samuel told Yahweh what the people had said,
22
Yahweh replied, “Do what they are telling you to do. Give them a king!” So Samuel agreed, and then he sent the people home.
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(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)
1
When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3
His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.
5
They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your 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.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7
The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king 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, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do to you.
9
Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”

Samuel’s Warning

10
Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked him for a king.
11
He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots.
12
He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest; and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots.
13
He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14
He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even your best, and give them to his servants.
15
He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants.
16
He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.
17
He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.
18
You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

God Grants the Request

19
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, 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
Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22
The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.”
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