| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. | 1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. |
| 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. | 2His firstborn son's name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. |
| 3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice. | 3However, his sons did not walk in his ways--they turned toward dishonest profit, took bribes, and perverted justice. |
| 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; | 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. |
| 5and 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." | 5They 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." |
| 6But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. | 6When they said, "Give us a king to judge us," Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the LORD. |
| 7The LORD 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 9"Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them." | 9Listen to them, but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them." |
| 10So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king. | 10Samuel told all the LORD's words to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 11He said, "This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. | 11He said, "These are the rights of the king who will reign 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. |
| 12"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. | 12He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground and reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. |
| 13"He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. | 13He can take your daughters to become perfumers, 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. | 14He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants. |
| 15"He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. | 15He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. |
| 16"He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. | 16He can take your male servants, your female servants, 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 servants. | 17He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. |
| 18"Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." | 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." |
| 19Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us, | 19The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We must have a king over us. |
| 20that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." | 20Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles." |
| 21Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD'S hearing. | 21Samuel listened to all the people's words and then repeated them to the LORD. |
| 22The LORD 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." | 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." |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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