1 Samuel 8 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

His firstborn son was named Joel, and his second was Abijah. They served as judges in Beersheba.

But his sons didn't follow his example. They chased after dishonest profit, took bribes, and twisted justice.

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

They told him, "Look, you're old now, and your sons don't follow your example. Appoint a king to lead us, like all the other nations have."

But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," Samuel was deeply upset. So Samuel prayed to Yahweh.

Yahweh told Samuel, "Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven't rejected you — they've rejected me as their king."

"This is what they've always done, from the day I brought them out of Egypt until now — abandoning me and serving other gods. And now they're doing the same thing to you."

"So listen to them now. But give them a serious warning — make it crystal clear what a king who rules over them will actually do."

Samuel passed along everything Yahweh had said to the people who were asking him for a king.

He said, "Here's what a king who rules over you will do: He'll take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they'll run ahead of his chariot."

"He'll appoint commanders over thousands and commanders over fifties. He'll make some of them plow his fields and harvest his crops, and others make his weapons and equipment for his chariots."

"He'll take your daughters to make perfume, to cook, and to bake for him."

"He'll take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his officials."

"He'll take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and give it to his officers and officials."

"He'll take your male and female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to work for himself."

"He'll take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants."

"When that day comes, you'll cry out because of this king you chose for yourselves, but Yahweh won't answer you then."

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us,"

"so that we can be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us, go out before us, and fight our battles."

When Samuel heard everything the people said, he repeated it all to Yahweh.

Yahweh answered Samuel, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to your own town."