8When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.H8050H2204H7760H1121H8199H34782His firstborn son's name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.H8034H1121H1060H3100H8034H4932H29H8199H8843However, his sons did not walk in his ways— they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.H1121H1980H1870H5186H310H1215H3947H7810H5186H49414So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.H2205H3478H6908H935H8050H74145They 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."H559H2204H1121H1980H1870H7760H4428H8199H14716When they said, "Give us a king to judge us," Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the LORD.H1697H3415H5869H8050H559H5414H4428H8199H8050H6419H30687But the LORD told him, "Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king.H3068H559H8050H8085H6963H5971H559H3988H3988H44278They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods.H4639H6213H3117H5927H4714H3117H5800H5647H312H430H62139Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them."H8085H6963H389H5749H5749H5046H4941H4428H442710Samuel told all the LORD's words to the people who were asking him for a king.H8050H559H1697H3068H5971H7592H442811He said, "These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He can take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots.H559H4941H4428H4427H3947H1121H7760H4818H6571H7323H6440H481812He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots.H7760H8269H505H8269H2572H2790H2758H7114H7105H6213H3627H4421H3627H739313He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.H3947H1323H7548H2879H64414He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.H3947H7704H3754H2132H2896H5414H565015He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants.H6237H2233H3754H5414H5631H565016He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work.H3947H5650H8198H2896H970H2543H6213H439917He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants.H6237H6629H565018When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you've chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you on that day."H2199H3117H6440H4428H977H3068H6030H311719The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We must have a king over us.H5971H3985H8085H6963H8050H559H442820Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles."H1471H4428H8199H3318H6440H3898H442121Samuel listened to all the people's words and then repeated them to the LORD.H8050H8085H1697H5971H1696H241H306822"Listen to them," the LORD told Samuel. "Appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you, go back to your city."H3068H559H8050H8085H6963H4427H4428H8050H559H582H3478H3212H376H5892