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

² and the name of his firstborn son was, Joel, and the name of his second, 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.

⁴ So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together,—and came unto Samuel, to 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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;

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

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

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

¹⁷ Your flocks, will he tithe,—and, ye yourselves, shall 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.

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

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.

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

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.