Israel Demands a King
(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

1And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges† over Israel. 2And the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second Abijah—judges in Beersheba. 3And his sons did not walk in his ways, and they turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice.

4And all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5and they said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint to us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6And the thing was bad in the eyes of Samuel when they said, “Give to us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to YHWH.

7And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but Me they have rejected from reigning over them. 8According to all the works that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, and to this day—and they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing also to you. 9And now listen to their voice. Only surely you must solemnly warn them and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

Samuel’s Warning

10And Samuel told all the words of YHWH to the people who were asking from him a king. 11And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you⁺: Your⁺ sons he will take and appoint to his own chariots and horses, and some will run before the face of his chariots.

12And He will appoint for himself captains of thousands and captains of fifties also to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

13And your⁺ daughters he will take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers.

14And your⁺ fields and your⁺ vineyards and your⁺ olive groves—the best ones—he will take and give to his servants. 15And your⁺ grain and your⁺ vintage, He will take a tenth and give it to his officers and servants. 16And your⁺ menservants, and your⁺ maidservants, and your⁺ best cattle,† and your⁺ donkeys, he will take and put to his work.

17He will take a tenth of your⁺ flock, and you⁺ will be his slaves. 18And you⁺ will cry out in that day because of your⁺ king whom you⁺ have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH will not answer you⁺ in that day.”

God Grants the Request

19And the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but surely we will have a king over us, 20that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them in the ears of YHWH.

22And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint to them a king.”

And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”