1 Samuel 8:1–9

ISRAEL’S DEMAND FOR A KING

8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.ae 2 His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.af 3 However, his sons did not walk in his ways—they turned toward dishonest profit, took bribes, and perverted justice.a

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.b 5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”c

6 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the Lord. 7 But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.d 8 They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me,A since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods. 9 Listen to them, but solemnly warn theme and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them.”