Israel's Demand For A King

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges to Israel;

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

1 And it came about when Samuel was old that (A)he appointed his sons judges over Israel.

1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.(A)

1 When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons judges over Israel.

2 and the name of his firstborn son was, Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah, - they were judges in Beer-sheba.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in (B)Beersheba.

2 His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.(B)

2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 Howbeit his sons walked not in his ways, but stooped to extortion, - and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and (C)took bribes and perverted justice.

3 However, his sons did not walk in his ways—they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.(C)

3 His sons did not follow Samuel's example. Instead, they pursued dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, - and came unto Samuel, to Ramah;

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at (D)Ramah;

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.(D)

4 All the elders of Israel gathered together, and came to Samuel at Ramah.

5 and said unto him - Lo! thou, art old, and, thy sons, walk not in thy ways: Now, appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now (E)appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”

5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”(E)

5 They told him, "Look, you're old, and your sons don't follow your example. So appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations."

6 But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give unto us a king to judge us. So Samuel prayed unto Yahweh.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

6 But the thing was (a)(F)displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And (G)Samuel prayed to the Lord.

6 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the Lord.

6 Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD.

7 And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they shall say unto thee, - for, not thee, have they rejected, but, me, have they rejected, from being king over them.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for (H)they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

7 But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king.(F)

7 The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it's not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king.

8 According to all the doings which they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even until this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so, are they doing even unto thee.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.

8 They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me,(a) since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods.

8 Like all the things they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this very day, they have forsaken me and followed other gods. They're also doing the same thing to you.

9 Now, therefore, hearken to their voice, - save that thou, enter protest, against them, and tell them the manner of the king who will reign over them.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

9 Now then, listen to their voice; (I)however, you shall solemnly (b)warn them and tell them of (J)the (c)procedure of the king who will reign over them.”

9 Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them(G) and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them.”

9 Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate."

Samuel's Warning Against Kings

10 So then Samuel spake all the words of Yahweh unto the people, who were asking of him, a king.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to (K)the people who had asked of him a king.

10 Samuel told all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king.

10 Samuel reported everything the LORD told him to the people who were asking him for a king.

11 And he said, This, will be the manner of the king who will reign over you, - Your sons, will he take and appoint for himself, as his charioteers and as his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

11 He said, “(L)This will be the (d)procedure of the king who will reign over you: (M)he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and (N)they will run before his chariots.

11 He said, “These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots.

11 He said, "This is how the king who rules over you will operate: He will conscript your sons and assign them to his chariots. He will conscript them as his horsemen, and they'll run in front of his chariots.

12 and he will appoint for himself, princes of thousands, and princes of fifties, - and to plough his fields, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and the instruments of his chariots;

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

12 (O)He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to (e)do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

12 He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties,(H) to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots.

12 He will appoint his officers over thousands and officers over fifties some will plow his fields, reap his harvest, and craft his war implements and equipment for his chariots.

13 And, your daughters, will he take, - as perfumers and as cooks, and as bakers;

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

13 He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers.

13 He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

13 He will take your daughters for perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

14 And, your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best of them, will he take, and give to his servants;

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

14 (P)He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants.

14 He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.(I)

14 He will take the best products of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves and give them to his servants.

15 And, your seed, and your vineyards, will he tithe, and give to his courtiers and to his servants;

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants.

15 He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants.

15 He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his officers and servants.

16 And, your men-servants, and your maidservants, and your oxen, even the goodliest, and your asses, will he take, - and put them to his work;

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

16 He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and (f)use them for his work.

16 He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men,(b) and your donkeys and use them for his work.

16 He will take your male and female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys to do his work.

17 Your flocks, will he tithe, - and, ye yourselves, shall become his servants.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

17 He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants.

17 He will take a tenth of your flock, and you will become his servants.

18 Then will ye make outcry, in that day, because of your king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, - and Yahweh will not answer you, in that day.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

18 Then (Q)you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but (R)the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

18 When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves,(J) but the Lord won’t answer you on that day.”(K)

18 When all of this comes about, you will cry out because of your king whom you chose for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you at that time."

The Lord Grants Israel's Request

19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel, - and they said - Nay! but, a king, shall be over us:

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

19 Nevertheless, the people (S)refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us,

19 The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.

19 The people refused to listen to Samuel. Instead, they insisted, "No! Let a king rule over us instead!

20 so shall, even we, become like all the nations, - and our king shall judge us, and go forth before us, and fight our battles.

20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

20 (T)that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

20 Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us,(L) and fight our battles.”

20 We, too, will be like all the nations! Our king will govern us and go out before us to fight our battles."

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, - and spake them in the ears of Yahweh.

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

21 Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, (U)he repeated them in the Lord’s hearing.

21 Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to the Lord.(c)

21 So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the LORD.

22 And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye, every man to his own city.

22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

22 The Lord said to Samuel, “(V)Listen to their voice and (g)appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

22 “Listen to them,” the Lord told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.”(M)Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your city.”

22 The LORD told Samuel, "Listen to them, and appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own town."

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org