1 Samuel 8:1-9
Israel Tells Samuel to Appoint a King
8And it happened when Samuel was old that ahe appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in aBeersheba. 3But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and atook bribes and caused justice to turn aside.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at aRamah; 5and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now aappoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6But the thing was aevil in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And bSamuel prayed to Yahweh. 7Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for athey 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; ahowever, you shall solemnly 1testify to them and tell them of bthe 2custom of the king who will reign over them.”