| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. | 1As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. |
| 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. | 2Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. |
| 3But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice. | 3But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. |
| 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. | 4Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. |
| 5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons don't follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have." | 5“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” |
| 6But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, "Give us a king to lead us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. | 6Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the LORD for guidance. |
| 7The LORD said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. | 7“Do everything they say to you,” the LORD replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. |
| 8Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. | 8Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. |
| 9So now do as they say. But seriously warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them." | 9Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.” Samuel Warns against a Kingdom |
| 10So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. | 10So Samuel passed on the LORD’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 11He said, "Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. | 11“This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. |
| 12He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. | 12Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. |
| 13He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. | 13The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. |
| 14He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. | 14He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. |
| 15He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators and his servants. | 15He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. |
| 16He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. | 16He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. |
| 17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. | 17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. |
| 18In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you in that day." | 18When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the LORD will not help you.” |
| 19But the people refused to heed Samuel's warning. Instead they said, "No! There will be a king over us! | 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. |
| 20We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles." | 20“We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” |
| 21So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the LORD. | 21So Samuel repeated to the LORD what the people had said, |
| 22The LORD said to Samuel, "Do as they say and install a king over them." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go back to his own city." | 22and the LORD replied, “Do as they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home. |
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