By occasion of the ill government of Samuel's sons, the Israelites ask a king.

1 ¶ And it came to pass,² when² Samuelº was old,ºª that he madeºª² his sonsº judgesºª over Israel.º 2 Now the nameº of his firstbornº¹ was² Joel;º and the nameº of his second,º Abiah:º [they were] judgesºª in Beersheba.º 3 And his sonsº walkedºª not² in his ways,º but turned asideºª afterº lucre,º and tookºª bribes,º and pervertedºª judgment.º 4 Then all² the eldersº of Israelº gathered themselves together,ºª and cameºª to² Samuelº unto Ramah,º 5 And saidºª unto² him, Behold,² thou² art old,ºª and thy sonsº walkºª not² in thy ways:º now² makeºª us a kingº to judgeºª us like all² the nations.º

Samuel praying in grief is comforted by God.

6 ¶ But the thingº displeasedººª Samuel,º when² they said,ºª Giveºª us a kingº to judgeºª us. And Samuelº prayedºª unto² the LORD.º 7 And the LORDº saidºª unto² Samuel,º Hearkenºª unto the voiceº of the peopleº in all² that² they sayºª unto² thee: for² they have not² rejectedºª thee, but² they have rejectedºª me, that I should not reignºª² over² them. 8 According to all² the worksº which² they have doneºª since the dayº² that I brought them upºª² out of Egyptº² even unto² this² day,º wherewith they have forsakenºª me, and servedºª otherº gods,º so² doºª they² also² unto thee. 9 Now² therefore hearkenºª unto their voice:º howbeitº yet² protest¹ª solemnlyºª unto them, and shewºª them the mannerº of the kingº that² shall reignºª over² them.

He telleth the manner of a king.

10 ¶ And Samuelº toldºª all² the wordsº of the LORDº unto² the peopleº that askedºª of²² him a king.º 11 And he said,ºª This² will be² the mannerº of the kingº that² shall reignºª over² you: He will takeºª² your sons,º and appointºª [them] for himself, for his chariots,º and [to be] his horsemen;º and [some] shall runºª beforeº his chariots.º 12 And he will appointºª him captainsº over thousands,º and captainsº over fifties;º and [will set them] to earºª his ground,º and to reapºª his harvest,º and to makeºª his instrumentsº of war,º and instrumentsº of his chariots.º 13 And he will takeºª your daughtersº [to be] confectionaries,º and [to be] cooks,º and [to be] bakers.ºª 14 And he will takeºª your fields,º and your vineyards,º and your oliveyards,º [even] the bestº [of them], and giveºª [them] to his servants.º 15 And he will take the tenthºª of your seed,º and of your vineyards,º and giveºª to his officers,º and to his servants.º 16 And he will takeºª your menservants,º and your maidservants,º and your goodliestº young men,º and your asses,º and putºª [them] to his work.º 17 He will take the tenthºª of your sheep:º and ye² shall be² his servants.º 18 And ye shall cry outºª in that² dayº becauseº² of your kingº which² ye shall have chosenºª you; and the LORDº will not² hearºª you in that² day.º

God willeth Samuel to yield unto the importunity of the people.

19 ¶ Nevertheless the peopleº refusedºª to obeyºª the voiceº of Samuel;º and they said,ºª Nay;² but²² we will have² a kingº over² us; 20 That we² also² may be² like all² the nations;º and that our kingº may judgeºª us, and go outºª beforeº us, and fightºª² our battles.º 21 And Samuelº heardºª² all² the wordsº of the people,º and he rehearsedºª them in the earsº of the LORD.º 22 And the LORDº saidºª to² Samuel,º Hearkenºª unto their voice,º and make¹ª them a king.º² And Samuelº saidºª unto² the men¹² of Israel,º Go¹ª² ye every manº unto his city.º