JPS - I Samuel - 8

8:1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

8:2  Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba.

8:3  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

8:4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.

8:5  And they 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.'

8:6  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said: 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed unto HaShem.

8:7  And HaShem 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 be king over them.

8:8  According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken Me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

8:9  Now therefore hearken unto their voice; howbeit thou shalt earnestly forewarn them, and shalt declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.'

8:10  And Samuel told all the words of HaShem unto the people that asked of him a king.

8:11  And he said: 'This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots.

8:12  And he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

8:13  And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

8:14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

8:15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

8:16  And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

8:17  He will take the tenth of your flocks; and ye shall be his servants.

8:18  And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and HaShem will not answer you in that day.'

8:19  But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said: 'Nay; but there shall be a king over us;

8:20  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.'

8:21  And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them in the ears of HaShem.

8:22  And HaShem 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.'