1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

1 Samuel 8

1 By occasion of the ill government of Samuel's sons, the Israelites ask a king. 6 Samuel praying in grief is comforted by God. 10 He telleth the manner of a king. 19 God willeth Samuel to yield unto the importunity of the people.

 8:1 And it came 1961 about when 3512c Samuel 8050 was old 2204 that he appointed 7760 his sons 1121 judges 8199 over Israel 3478.

 8:2 Now the name 8034 of his firstborn 1060 was Joel 3100, and the name 8034 of his second 4932, Abijah 29; [they] were judging 8199 in Beersheba 884.

 8:3 His sons 1121, however, did not walk 1980 in his ways 1870, but turned 5186 aside 5186 after 310 dishonest 1215 gain 1215 and took 3947 bribes 7810 and perverted 5186 justice 4941.

 8:4 ¶ Then all 3605 the elders 2205 of Israel 3478 gathered 6908 together and came 935 to Samuel 8050 at Ramah 7414;

 8:5 and they said 559 to him, “Behold 2009, you have grown 2204 old 2204, and your sons 1121 do not walk 1980 in your ways 1870. Now 6258 appoint 7760 a king 4428 for us to judge 8199 us like all 3605 the nations 1471.”

 8:6 But the thing 1697 was displeasing 7489a in the sight 5869 of Samuel 8050 when 3512c they said 559, “Give 5414 us a king 4428 to judge 8199 us.” And Samuel 8050 prayed 6419 to the LORD 3068.

 8:7 The LORD 3068 said 559 to Samuel 8050, “Listen 8085 to the voice 6963 of the people 5971a in regard to all 3605 that they say 559 to you, for they have not rejected 3988a you, but they have rejected 3988a Me from being 4427a king 4427a over 5921 them.

 8:8 “Like all 3605 the deeds 4639 which 834 they have done 6213a since 4480 the day 3117 that I brought 5927 them up from Egypt 4714 even to this 2088 day 3117—in that they have forsaken 5800a Me and served 5647 other 312 gods 430—so 3651 they are doing 6213a to you also 1571.

 8:9 “Now 6258 then, listen 8085 to their voice 6963; however 389, you shall solemnly 5749b warn 5749b them and tell 5046 them of the procedure 4941 of the king 4428 who 834 will reign 4427a over 5921 them.”

 8:10 ¶ So Samuel 8050 spoke 559 all 3605 the words 1697 of the LORD 3068 to the people 5971a who had asked 7592 of him a king 4428.

 8:11 He said 559, “This 2088 will be the procedure 4941 of the king 4428 who 834 will reign 4427a over 5921 you: he will take 3947 your sons 1121 and place 7760 [them] for himself in his chariots 4818 and among his horsemen 6571b and they will run 7323 before 6440 his chariots 4818.

 8:12 “He will appoint 7760 for himself commanders 8269 of thousands 505 and of fifties 2572, and [some] to do 2790a his plowing 2758 and to reap 7114b his harvest 7105a and to make 6213a his weapons 3627 of war 4421 and equipment 3627 for his chariots 7393.

 8:13 “He will also take 3947 your daughters 1323 for perfumers 7548 and cooks 2879 and bakers 644.

 8:14 “He will take 3947 the best 2896a of your fields 7704 and your vineyards 3754 and your olive 2132 groves 2132 and give 5414 [them] to his servants 5650.

 8:15 “He will take 6237 a tenth 6237 of your seed 2233 and of your vineyards 3754 and give 5414 to his officers 5631 and to his servants 5650.

 8:16 “He will also take 3947 your male 5650 servants 5650 and your female 8198 servants 8198 and your best 2896a young 970 men 970 and your donkeys 2543 and use 6213a [them] for his work 4399.

 8:17 “He will take 6237 a tenth 6237 of your flocks 6629, and you yourselves 864b will become 1961 his servants 5650.

 8:18 “Then you will cry 2199 out in that day 3117 because 4480 6440 of your king 4428 whom 834 you have chosen 977 for yourselves, but the LORD 3068 will not answer 6030a you in that day 3117.”

 8:19 ¶ Nevertheless, the people 5971a refused 3985 to listen 8085 to the voice 6963 of Samuel 8050, and they said 559, “No 3808, but there shall be a king 4428 over 5921 us,

 8:20 that we also 1571 may be like all 3605 the nations 1471, that our king 4428 may judge 8199 us and go 3318 out before 6440 us and fight 3898a our battles 4421.”

 8:21 Now after Samuel 8050 had heard 8085 all 3605 the words 1697 of the people 5971a, he repeated 1696 them in the LORD’S 3068 hearing 241.

 8:22 The LORD 3068 said 559 to Samuel 8050, “Listen 8085 to their voice 6963 and appoint 4427a them a king 4428.” So Samuel 8050 said 559 to the men 376 of Israel 3478, “Go 1980 every 376 man 376 to his city 5892b.”