1 Samuel 8 - 9 - Legacy Standard Bible

1 Samuel 8 - 9

Israel Tells Samuel to Appoint a King

And it happened when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and took bribes and caused justice to turn aside. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was evil in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 So now, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly testify to them and tell them of the custom of the king who will reign over them.”

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.”

Saul to Be Anointed Over Israel

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. 2 Now he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people. 3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the young men, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” 4 Thus he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them. 5 They came to the land of Zuph. And Saul said to his young man who was with him, “Come, and let us return, lest my father cease to be concerned about the donkeys and become anxious for us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have gone.” 7 Then Saul said to his young man, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 And the young man answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his young man, “Your word is good; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 As they were going up the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 And they answered them and said, “He is! Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, for the people have a sacrifice on the high place today. 13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. So now, go up for you will find him at once.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them to go up to the high place. 15 Now a day before Saul’s coming, Yahweh had revealed this in Samuel’s hearing, saying, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people because their cry has come to Me.” 17 Now Samuel saw Saul, and Yahweh answered him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall restrict My people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your heart. 20 As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” 21 And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?” 22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the chamber and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’” 24 Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 Then they came down from the high place into the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. 26 And they arose early; and at the breaking of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the young man that he might pass before us and pass onwards, but you remain standing now, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.”

Hebrews 5

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, 2 being able to deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it, he is obligated, just as for the people, to also offer sacrifices for sins in the same way for himself. 4 And no one takes this honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 5 In this way also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,

“You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You”;

6 just as He says also in another passage,

“You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek.”

7 He, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.

Proverbs 13

A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,

But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

From the fruit of a man’s mouth he eats what is good,

But the soul of the treacherous desires violence.

The one who guards his mouth keeps his soul;

The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is enriched.

A righteous man hates a lying word,

But a wicked man acts odiously and is humiliated.

Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless,

But wickedness subverts the sinner.

There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing;

Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth.

The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,

But the poor hears no rebuke.

The light of the righteous is glad,

But the lamp of the wicked goes out.

With arrogance comes only quarreling,

But with those who receive counsel is wisdom.

Wealth obtained from empty effort dwindles,

But the one who gathers with his hand abounds.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

The one who despises the word will be in debt to it,

But the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded.

The instruction of the wise is a fountain of life,

To turn aside from the snares of death.

Good insight gives grace,

But the way of the treacherous is unrelenting.

Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

But a fool spreads out folly.

A wicked messenger falls into evil,

But a faithful envoy brings healing.

Poverty and disgrace come to him who neglects discipline,

But he who keeps reproof will be honored.

Desire realized is pleasant to the soul,

But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.

He who walks with the wise will be wise,

But the friend of fools will suffer harm.

Evil pursues sinners,

But the righteous are repaid with good.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,

But it is swept away by injustice.

He who holds back his rod hates his son,

But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

The righteous eats to the satisfaction of his soul,

But the stomach of the wicked lacks.