¹ And it was that Samuel was·​·old, and he set his sons as judges for Israel.

² And the name of his firstborn son was Joel; and the name of the second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.

³ And his sons walked not in his way, but inclined after gain, and took bribes, and distorted^◦ judgment.^*

⁴ And all the elders of Israel came·​·together, and they came to^▵ Samuel unto Ramah

⁵ and they said to^▵ him, Behold, thou^◦ art·​·old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now set over us a king to judge us, as all the nations.

⁶ And the word was·​·evil in the eyes of Samuel, when^▵ they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto^▵ Jehovah.

⁷ And Jehovah said unto^▵ Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, as to all they say unto^▵ thee; for^◦ they have not rejected thee, but^◦ they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

⁸ According·​·to all the deeds which they have done from the day that I brought· them ·up out·​·of Egypt, and even·​·to this day, and they have forsaken Me, and served other gods; so do they also to thee.

⁹ And now, obey their voice; only^▵ testifying testify against^◦ them, and tell them the judgment of the king who shall reign over them.

¹⁰ And Samuel said all the words of Jehovah unto^▵ the people who asked of him a king.

¹¹ And he said, These will be the rights^* of the king that shall reign over you; he will take your sons, and appoint them for his chariots and for his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots.

¹² And he will set them for himself, as commanders^◦ of thousands and commanders^◦ of fifties, and to plow his plowing, and to harvest his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots.

¹³ And he will take your daughters to be ointment·​·makers, and for cooks^◦ and for bakers.

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

¹⁵ And he will take a tithe of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his chamberlains and to his servants.

¹⁶ And he will take your menservants, and your handmaids, and your good young·​·men, and your donkeys, to do his work^▵*.

¹⁷ He will take the tithe of your flocks, and you^◦ shall be to him for servants.

¹⁸ And you shall cry out in that^◦ day because of your king whom you shall have chosen for you; and Jehovah will not answer you on that^◦ day.

¹⁹ And the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but^◦ there shall be a king over us,

²⁰ and we^◦ also may be as all the nations, and our king may judge us, and go·​·out before us, and fight our battles.

²¹ And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them in the ears of Jehovah.

²² And Jehovah said unto^▵ Samuel, Hearken unto their voice and make a king to reign over them. And Samuel said unto^▵ the men^◦ of Israel, Go^◦ ye every man^◦ unto his city.