8When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons judges over Israel.H8050H2204H7760H1121H8199H34782The name of his firstborn son was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.H8034H1121H1060H3100H8034H4932H29H8199H8843His sons did not follow Samuel's example. Instead, they pursued dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.H1121H1980H1870H5186H310H1215H3947H7810H5186H49414All the elders of Israel gathered together, and came to Samuel at Ramah.H2205H3478H6908H935H8050H74145They said to 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."H559H2204H1121H1980H1870H7760H4428H8199H14716Samuel was displeased when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." So Samuel prayed to the Lord.H1697H3415H5869H8050H559H5414H4428H8199H8050H6419H30687The Lord said to 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.H3068H559H8050H8085H6963H5971H559H3988H3988H44278Like 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.H4639H6213H3117H5927H4714H3117H5800H5647H312H430H62139Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate."H8085H6963H389H5749H5749H5046H4941H4428H442710Samuel reported everything the Lord told him to the people who were asking him for a king.H8050H559H1697H3068H5971H7592H442811He 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.H559H4941H4428H4427H3947H1121H7760H4818H6571H7323H6440H481812He 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.H7760H8269H505H8269H2572H2790H2758H7114H7105H6213H3627H4421H3627H739313He will take your daughters for perfumers, cooks, and bakers.H3947H1323H7548H2879H64414He will take the best products of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves and give them to his servants.H3947H7704H3754H2132H2896H5414H565015He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his officers and servants.H6237H2233H3754H5414H5631H565016He will take your male and female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys to do his work.H3947H5650H8198H2896H970H2543H6213H439917He will take a tenth of your flock, and you will become his servants.H6237H6629H565018When 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."H2199H3117H6440H4428H977H3068H6030H311719The people refused to listen to Samuel. Instead, they insisted, "No! Let a king rule over us instead!H5971H3985H8085H6963H8050H559H442820We, too, will be like all the nations! Our king will govern us and go out before us to fight our battles."H1471H4428H8199H3318H6440H3898H442121So Samuel listened to all the words of the people, and he repeated them directly to the Lord.H8050H8085H1697H5971H1696H241H306822The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to them, and appoint a king for them." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own town."H3068H559H8050H8085H6963H4427H4428H8050H559H582H3478H3212H376H5892