Israel Demands a King
(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

1Bvt whan Samuel waxed olde, he set his sonnes to be iudges ouer Israel. 2His firstborne sonne was called Ioel & the secode Abia, & they were iudges at Bersaba. 3Neuertheles his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but enclyned vnto couetousnes, & toke giftes, & wraysted the lawe.

4Then all ye Elders in Israel gathered the selues together, & came to Ramath vnto Samuel, 5& saide vnto him: Beholde, thou art waxen olde, & thy sonnes walke not in yi wayes, set a kynge now ouer vs therfore, to iudge vs, as all ye Heithe haue. 6The was Samuel displeased wha they sayde: Geue vs a kynge, to iudge as. And Samuel prayed before the LORDE. 7The LORDE saide vnto Samuel: Herken vnto the voice of the people in all yt they haue sayde vnto the. For they haue not refused the, but me, yt I shulde not be kinge ouer them. 8They do vnto the as they haue done euer, sence the daie yt I brought them out of the londe of Egipte vnto this daye, and haue forsaken me, and serued other goddes. 9Herke now therfore vnto their voyce. Yet testifye vnto them, and shewe them the lawe of the kynge that shall raigne ouer them.

Samuel’s Warning

10And Samuel tolde all the wordes of the LORDE vnto ye people, that requyred a kinge of him. 11This shal be the lawe of the kynge yt shal raigne ouer you: Yor sonnes shall he take for his charettes, and for horsmen to runne before his charettes, 12and to be rulers & captaynes, to be plowemen to tyll his londe and to be reapers in his haruest, and to make his harnesse, and soch thinges as belonge to his charettes. 13As for yor doughters, he shall take the, to be Apotecaries, cokes and bakers 14Youre best londe and vynyardes, and oyle gardens shall he take, and geue vnto his seruauntes: 15Of youre sedes also and viniardes shal he take the Tithes, & geue vnto his chaberlaynes and seruauntes. 16And youre seruautes and youre maydes, and youre best yonge men, and youre asses shal he take, and do his busynes withall. 17Of youre flockes shal he take the Tithes, and ye shal be his seruautes. 18Whan ye shal crye then at the same tyme ouer youre kynge, whom ye haue chosen you, the LORDE shall not heare you at the same tyme.

God Grants the Request

19Neuerthelesse the people refused to heare the voyce of Samuel, and sayde: Not so, but there shall be a kynge ouer vs, 20yt we maye be as all other Heithe, yt or kynge maie iudge vs, & go forth before vs, and gouerne oure warres. 21The herkened Samuel vnto all yt ye people sayde, & tolde it before ye eares of the LORDE. 22The LORDE sayde vnto the: Herken thou vnto their voyce, and make them a kynge. And Samuel sayde vnto the men of Israel: Go youre waye euery one vnto his cite.