| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel's leaders. | 1In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. |
| 2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. | 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. |
| 3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. | 3But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice. |
| 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. | 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. |
| 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." | 5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons don't follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have." |
| 6But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. | 6But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, "Give us a king to lead us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. |
| 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. | 7The LORD said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. |
| 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. | 8Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. |
| 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." | 9So now do as they say. But seriously warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them." |
| 10Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. | 10So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 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. | 11He said, "Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. |
| 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. | 12He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. |
| 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. | 13He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. |
| 14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. | 14He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. |
| 15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. | 15He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators and his servants. |
| 16Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. | 16He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. |
| 17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. | 17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. |
| 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." | 18In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you in that day." |
| 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. | 19But the people refused to heed Samuel's warning. Instead they said, "No! There will be a king over us! |
| 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." | 20We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles." |
| 21When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. | 21So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the LORD. |
| 22The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the Israelites, "Everyone go back to your own town." | 22The LORD said to Samuel, "Do as they say and install a king over them." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go back to his own city." |
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