1 Samuel 8 - New International Version (NIV)

Israel Asks for a King

8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed(A) his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah,(B) and they served at Beersheba.(C) 3 But his sons(D) did not follow his ways. They turned aside(E) after dishonest gain and accepted bribes(F) and perverted(G) justice.

4 So all the elders(H) of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.(I) 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king(J) to lead[b](K) us, such as all the other nations(L) have.”

6 But when they said, “Give us a king(M) to lead us,” this displeased(N) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen(O) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,(P) but they have rejected me as their king.(Q) 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking(R) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know(S) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

10 Samuel told(T) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take(U) your sons and make them serve(V) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.(W) 12 Some he will assign to be commanders(X) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your(Y) fields and vineyards(Z) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.(AA) 15 He will take a tenth(AB) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer(AC) you in that day.(AD)”

19 But the people refused(AE) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want(AF) a king(AG) over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations,(AH) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated(AI) it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Listen(AJ) to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 8:1 Traditionally judges
  2. 1 Samuel 8:5 Traditionally judge; also in verses 6 and 20
  3. 1 Samuel 8:16 Septuagint; Hebrew young men

Cross references

  1. 1 Samuel 8:1 : Dt 16:18-19
  2. 1 Samuel 8:2 : 1Ch 6:28
  3. 1 Samuel 8:2 : Ge 22:19; 1Ki 19:3; Am 5:4-5
  4. 1 Samuel 8:3 : 1Sa 2:12
  5. 1 Samuel 8:3 : Ne 9:29; Job 34:27; Ps 14:3; 58:3; Isa 53:6
  6. 1 Samuel 8:3 : Ex 23:8; 1Sa 12:3; Job 8:22; Pr 17:23
  7. 1 Samuel 8:3 : S Ex 23:2
  8. 1 Samuel 8:4 : S Jdg 11:11; 1Sa 11:3
  9. 1 Samuel 8:4 : S 1Sa 7:17
  10. 1 Samuel 8:5 : ver 19; S Dt 17:14-20; 1Sa 10:19; 12:12, 13; Hos 13:11
  11. 1 Samuel 8:5 : 1Sa 3:20; 12:2
  12. 1 Samuel 8:5 : ver 20
  13. 1 Samuel 8:6 : Hos 13:10
  14. 1 Samuel 8:6 : 1Sa 12:17; 15:11; 16:1
  15. 1 Samuel 8:7 : ver 22; 1Sa 12:1
  16. 1 Samuel 8:7 : S Nu 11:20
  17. 1 Samuel 8:7 : S Ex 16:8
  18. 1 Samuel 8:8 : 1Sa 12:10; 2Ki 21:22; Jer 2:17
  19. 1 Samuel 8:9 : ver 11-18; S Dt 17:14-20; 1Sa 10:25
  20. 1 Samuel 8:10 : S Ex 19:7
  21. 1 Samuel 8:11 : 1Sa 14:52
  22. 1 Samuel 8:11 : S Ge 41:46
  23. 1 Samuel 8:11 : S Dt 17:16; 2Sa 15:1; 1Ki 1:5; 2Ch 1:14; 9:25; SS 3:7
  24. 1 Samuel 8:12 : S Dt 1:15
  25. 1 Samuel 8:14 : Eze 46:18
  26. 1 Samuel 8:14 : 1Ki 21:7, 15; Mic 2:2
  27. 1 Samuel 8:14 : 2Ki 22:12
  28. 1 Samuel 8:15 : S Ge 41:34; 1Sa 17:25
  29. 1 Samuel 8:18 : 1Sa 28:6; Job 27:9; 35:12, 13; Ps 18:41; 66:18; Pr 1:28; Isa 1:15; 58:4; 59:2; Jer 14:12; Eze 8:18; Mic 3:4
  30. 1 Samuel 8:18 : 1Sa 10:25; 1Ki 12:4
  31. 1 Samuel 8:19 : Pr 1:24; Isa 50:2; 66:4; Jer 7:13; 8:12; 13:10; 44:16
  32. 1 Samuel 8:19 : Ac 13:21
  33. 1 Samuel 8:19 : S ver 5
  34. 1 Samuel 8:20 : S ver 5
  35. 1 Samuel 8:21 : S Jdg 11:11
  36. 1 Samuel 8:22 : S ver 7

You Might Also Like:

1 Samuel 8 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

8 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel. 2 And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba: 3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

8 And it was done, when Samuel waxed eld, he set his sons to be judges of Israel. (And it was done, when Samuel grew old, he made his sons to be judges in Israel.) 2 And the name of his first begotten son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abiah, that were judges in Beersheba (and they were ju...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - World English Bible (WEB)

8 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3 His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elde...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - The Voice (VOICE)

8 When Samuel was old, he named his sons judges of Israel to rule over the people and be their deliverers. 2 His first son, Joel, and his second son, Abijah, were judges in Beersheba, 3 but they were not like Samuel. They profited from dishonesty, took bribes, and fostered injustice. 4 So the eld...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Israel Demands a King8 Now when Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second Abijah—they were judges in Beersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain—they took bribes ...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Israel Demands a King8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his first-born son was Jo′el, and the name of his second, Abi′jah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted ...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Israel Demands a King8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his first-born son was Jo′el, and the name of his second, Abi′jah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted ...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Israel Demands a King8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted j...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Israel Demands a King8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.(A)2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 Yet his sons did not follow in his ways but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Israel Requests a King8 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4 Finally, all the elders of Isr...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New Life Version (NLV)

Israel Asks for a King8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges in Israel. 2 The name of his first-born son was Joel. And the name of his second son was Abijah. They were men who judged in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside to get money. They took pay to ...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Israel Demands a King8 Now it came to pass when Samuel was (A)old that he (B)made his (C)sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons (D)did not walk in his ways; they turned aside (E)after dishones...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Israel asks for a king8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes a...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New International Version (NIV)

Israel Asks for a King8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed(A) his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah,(B) and they served at Beersheba.(C) 3 But his sons(D) did not follow his ways. They turned aside(E) after dishonest gain and acce...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Israel Asks for a King8 When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2 The name of his oldest son was Joel. The name of his second son was Abijah. They served as judges at Beersheba. 3 But his sons didn’t live as he did. They were only interested in making money. They accepte...
Read More

1 Samuel 8 - New English Translation (NET)

Israel Seeks a King8 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. 3 But his sons did not follow[a] his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes...
Read More