1 Samuel 8 — King James Version

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.● Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: {they were} judges in Beersheba.● And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.● Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,● And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.● But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. {displeased: Heb. was evil in the eyes of}● And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.● According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.● Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. {hearken...: or, obey} {howbeit...: or, notwithstanding when thou hast solemnly protested against them then thou shalt}● And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.● And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint {them} for himself, for his chariots, and {to be} his horsemen; and {some} shall run before his chariots.● And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and {will set them} to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.● And he will take your daughters {to be} confectionaries, and {to be} cooks, and {to be} bakers.● And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, {even} the best {of them}, and give {them} to his servants.● And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. {officers: Heb. eunuchs}● And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put {them} to his work.● He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.● And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.● Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;● That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.● And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.● And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.●