| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. | 1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel's leaders. |
| 2His firstborn son's name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. | 2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. |
| 3However, his sons did not walk in his ways--they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. | 3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. |
| 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. | 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. |
| 5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have." | 5They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." |
| 6When they said, "Give us a king to judge us," Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the LORD. | 6But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. |
| 7But 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. | 7And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. |
| 8They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods. | 8As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. |
| 9Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them." | 9Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights." |
| 10Samuel told all the LORD's words to the people who were asking him for a king. | 10Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 11He said, "These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. | 11He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. |
| 12He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots. | 12Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. |
| 13He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers. | 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. |
| 14He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants. | 14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. |
| 15He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. | 15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. |
| 16He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work. | 16Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. |
| 17He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. | 17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. |
| 18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you've chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you on that day." | 18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." |
| 19The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We must have a king over us. | 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. |
| 20Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles." | 20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." |
| 21Samuel listened to all the people's words and then repeated them to the LORD. | 21When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. |
| 22"Listen to them," the LORD told Samuel. "Appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you, go back to your city." | 22The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the Israelites, "Everyone go back to your own town." |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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