(KJV) 1 Samuel 8¹

⥃Israel Demands a King ^{[ Deuteronomy 17:14–20 ]}

[1] And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his² sons judges³ over Israel.⁴ [2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel⁵; and the name of his second, Abiah: [they were] judges in Beer–sheba. [3] And his sons⁶ walked not in his ways, but turned⁷ aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. [4] Then all the elders⁸ of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, [5] And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make⁹ us a king to judge us like all the nations.

[6] [¶]But the thing displeased¹⁰ Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed¹¹ unto the Lord. [7] And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken¹² unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not¹³ rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. [8] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.¹⁴ [9] Now therefore hearken unto¹⁵ their voice: howbeit¹⁶ yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner¹⁷ of the king that shall reign over them.

⥃Samuel’s Warning

[10] [¶]And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. [11] And he said, This will¹⁸ be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take¹⁹ your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] shall run²⁰ before his chariots. [12] And he will appoint²¹ him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set²² them] to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. [13] And he will take your daughters [to be] confectionaries, and [to be] cooks, and [to be] bakers. [14] And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his servants.²³ [15] And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers²⁴, and to his servants. [16] And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work. [17] He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. [18] And ye shall cry out²⁵ in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord²⁶ will not hear²⁷ you in that day.

⥃God Grants the Request

[19] [¶]Nevertheless the people refused to obey²⁸ the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; [20] That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.²⁹ [21] And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed³⁰ them in the ears of the Lord. [22] And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city. ³¹