1 SamuelJudaism / Hebrew BibleAccepted ScriptureBiblical Hebrew / AramaicShare1 Samuel 8WEB - EnglishMoreVersion - 9 availableWorld English BibleKing James VersionAmerican Standard VersionDarby BibleYoung's Literal TranslationWebster BibleGeneva BibleDouay-Rheims ChallonerReina-Valera 1909WEBKJVASVDarbyYLTWebsterGenevaDouayRV1909LanguageEnglishEspañol‹1 Samuel 11 Samuel 21 Samuel 31 Samuel 41 Samuel 51 Samuel 61 Samuel 71 Samuel 81 Samuel 91 Samuel 101 Samuel 111 Samuel 121 Samuel 131 Samuel 141 Samuel 151 Samuel 161 Samuel 171 Samuel 181 Samuel 191 Samuel 201 Samuel 211 Samuel 221 Samuel 231 Samuel 241 Samuel 251 Samuel 261 Samuel 271 Samuel 281 Samuel 291 Samuel 301 Samuel 31›1 Samuel 8ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah. 5They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them. 8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so they also do to you. 9Now therefore listen to their voice. However you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.” 10Samuel told all Yahweh’s words to the people who asked him for a king. 11He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots. 12He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants. 15He will take one tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers, and to his servants. 16He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work. 17He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants. 18You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.” 19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No; but we will have a king over us, 20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” 21Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. 22Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.” ‹Previous chapter1 Samuel 7Next chapter1 Samuel 9›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Versions1 Samuel 8 across 9 versionsShow all 9WEB - World English BibleKJV - King James VersionASV - American Standard VersionDarby - Darby BibleYLT - Young's Literal TranslationWebster - Webster BibleGeneva - Geneva BibleDouay - Douay-Rheims ChallonerRV1909 - Reina-Valera 1909Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public Domain