1 Samuel 8:10 - 8:22

The People Refuse Samuel’s Words

10 So Samuel spoke all the words of Yahweh to the people who had asked of him a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the custom of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will also take your male slaves and your female slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but Yahweh will not answer you in that day.” 19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 So Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of Yahweh. 22 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

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