1 Samuel 8 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Israel Tells Samuel to Appoint a King

1 And it happened ^H1961 when ^H834 Samuel ^H8050 was ^H2204 old ^H2204 that he appointed ^H7760 his sons ^H1121 judges ^H8199 over Israel ^H3478.

2 The name ^H8034 of his firstborn ^H1060 was Joel ^H3100, and the name ^H8034 of his second ^H4932, Abijah ^H29; they were judging ^H8199 in Beersheba ^H884. 3 But his sons ^H1121 did not walk ^H1980 in his ways ^H1870, but turned ^H5186 aside ^H5186 after ^H310 greedy ^H1215 gain ^H1215 and took ^H3947 bribes ^H7810 and caused justice ^H4941 to turn ^H5186 aside ^H5186.

4 Then all ^H3605 the elders ^H2205 of Israel ^H3478 gathered ^H6908 together and came ^H935 to Samuel ^H8050 at Ramah ^H7414; 5 and they said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009, you have grown ^H2204 old ^H2204, and your sons ^H1121 do not walk ^H1980 in your ways ^H1870. Now ^H6258 appoint ^H7760 a king ^H4428 for us to judge ^H8199 us like all ^H3605 the nations ^H1471.” 6 But the thing ^H1697 was evil ^H7489 in the sight ^H5869 of Samuel ^H8050 when ^H834 they said ^H559, “Give ^H5414 us a king ^H4428 to judge ^H8199 us.” And Samuel ^H8050 prayed ^H6419 to Yahweh ^H3068. 7 Then Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “Listen ^H8085 to the voice ^H6963 of the people ^H5971 in regard to all ^H3605 that they say ^H559 to you, for they have not rejected ^H3988 you, but they have rejected ^H3988 Me from being ^H4427 king ^H4427 over ^H5921 them. 8 Like all ^H3605 the deeds ^H4639 which ^H834 they have done ^H6213 since ^H4480 the day ^H3117 that I brought ^H5927 them up ^H5927 from Egypt ^H4714 even to this ^H2088 day ^H3117—in that they have forsaken ^H5800 Me and served ^H5647 other ^H312 gods ^H430—so ^H3651 they are doing ^H6213 to you also ^H1571. 9 So now ^H6258, listen ^H8085 to their voice ^H6963; however ^H389, you shall solemnly ^H5749 [fn]testify ^H5749 to them and tell ^H5046 them of the [fn]custom ^H4941 of the king ^H4428 who ^H834 will reign ^H4427 over ^H5921 them.”

The People Refuse Samuel’s Words

10 So Samuel ^H8050 spoke ^H559 all ^H3605 the words ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068 to the people ^H5971 who had asked ^H7592 of him a king ^H4428.

11 And he said ^H559, “This ^H2088 will be the [fn]custom ^H4941 of the king ^H4428 who ^H834 will reign ^H4427 over ^H5921 you: he will take ^H3947 your sons ^H1121 and appoint ^H7760 them for himself in his chariots ^H4818 and among his horsemen ^H6571, and they will run ^H7323 before ^H6440 his chariots ^H4818. 12 And he will appoint ^H7760 for himself commanders ^H8269 of thousands ^H505 and of fifties ^H2572, and some to [fn]do ^H2790 his plowing ^H2758 and to reap ^H7114 his harvest ^H7105 and to make ^H6213 his weapons ^H3627 of war ^H4421 and equipment ^H3627 for his chariots ^H7393. 13 He will also take ^H3947 your daughters ^H1323 for perfumers ^H7548 and cooks ^H2879 and bakers ^H644. 14 He will take ^H3947 the best ^H2896 of your fields ^H7704 and your vineyards ^H3754 and your olive ^H2132 groves ^H2132 and give ^H5414 them to his [fn]servants ^H5650. 15 He will take ^H6237 a ^H6237 tenth ^H6237 of your seed ^H2233 and of your vineyards ^H3754 and give ^H5414 it to his officers ^H5631 and to his servants ^H5650. 16 He will also take ^H3947 your male ^H5650 slaves ^H5650 and your female ^H8198 slaves ^H8198 and your best ^H2896 young ^H970 men ^H970 and your donkeys ^H2543 and [fn]use ^H6213 them for his work ^H4399. 17 He will take ^H6237 a ^H6237 tenth ^H6237 of your flocks ^H6629, and you yourselves ^H859 will become ^H1961 his slaves ^H5650. 18 Then you will cry ^H2199 out ^H2199 in that day ^H3117 because ^H4480 H6440 of your king ^H4428 whom ^H834 you have chosen ^H977 for yourselves, but Yahweh ^H3068 will not answer ^H6030 you in that day ^H3117.”

19 Nevertheless, the people ^H5971 refused ^H3985 to listen ^H8085 to the voice ^H6963 of Samuel ^H8050, and they said ^H559, “No ^H3808, but there shall be a king ^H4428 over ^H5921 us, 20 that we also ^H1571 may be like all ^H3605 the nations ^H1471, that our king ^H4428 may judge ^H8199 us and go ^H3318 out ^H3318 before ^H6440 us and fight ^H3898 our battles ^H4421.” 21 So Samuel ^H8050 heard ^H8085 all ^H3605 the words ^H1697 of the people ^H5971, and he repeated ^H1696 them in the hearing ^H241 of Yahweh ^H3068. 22 Then Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “Listen ^H8085 to their voice ^H6963 and [fn]appoint ^H4427 them a king ^H4428.” So Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478, “Go ^H1980 every ^H376 man ^H376 to his city ^H5892.”