1 Kings (1 Samuel), 8
Samuel growing old, and his sons not walking in his ways, the people desire a king.
[1] And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. •
[2] Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee. •
[3] And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. •
[4] Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled came to Samuel to Ramatha. •
[5] And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have. •
[6] And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. •
[7] And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected 1 thee, but me, that I should not reign over them. •
Rejected: The government of Israel hitherto had been a theocracy, in which God himself immediately ruled, by laws which he had enacted, and by judges extraordinarily raised up by himself; and therefore he complains that his people rejected him, in desiring a change of government.
[8] According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee. •
[9] Now, therefore, hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right 1 of the king, that shall reign over them. •
The right: That is, the manner (misphat) after which he shall proceed, having no one to control him, when he has the power in his hand.
[10] Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,
[11] And said: This will be the right of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen, to run before his chariots, •
[12] And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and his centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots. •
[13] Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.
[14] And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants. •
[15] Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give to his eunuchs and servants. •
[16] Your servants also, and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, he will take away, and put them to his work. •
[17] Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants. •
[18] And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves: and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king. •
[19] But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said, Nay: but there shall be a king over us, •
[20] And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles for us. •
[21] And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
[22] And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to his city.