Israel's Demand For A King
2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel. He named his second son Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
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 The name of his firstborn son was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 The sons did not follow their father's example but turned to dishonest ways of making money. They took bribes and denied people justice.
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.
5 They said: You are an old man. You set a good example for your sons. But they have not followed it. Now we want a king to be our leader like all the other nations. Choose one for us!
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 Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say they wanted a king. So he prayed about it.
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 Jehovah answered: Samuel, do everything they want you to do. I am really the one they have rejected as their king.
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 Ever since the day I rescued my people from Egypt, they have turned from me to worship idols. Now they are turning away from you.
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 Listen to them. But be sure to warn them and tell them about the behavior and rights of a king who rules 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 Then Samuel told the people who had asked him for a king everything Jehovah said.
10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that 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 Samuel said: These are the rights of a king: He will draft your sons and make them serve on his chariots and horses, and make them run ahead of 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 He will appoint them to be his officers over one thousand or over fifty soldiers. He will have them plow his ground and harvest his crops. He will require them to make weapons and equipment for 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 He will take your daughters from you and force them to make perfumes, cook, and bake.
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 He will take away the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his officials.
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 will take the best products of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves and give them to his servants.
15 He will take a tenth of your grain and wine and give it to his aids and officials.
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 He will confiscate your male and female slaves, your best cattle, and your donkeys for his own use.
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 He will take a tenth of your flocks. In addition, you will be 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 You will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. Jehovah will not answer you when that day comes.
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 listen to Samuel. They said: We want a king!
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 We want to be like other nations, with our own king to rule us and to lead us out to war and to 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 Samuel listened to everything they said. Then he repeated it to Jehovah.
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 So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the LORD.
22 Jehovah answered: Do what they want. Give them a king. Then Samuel told all the men of Israel to go back home.
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."