1 Samuel 8:4-14

4 Then all the Zakenim of Yisra'el gathered themselves together, and came to Shemu'el to Ramah;
5 and they 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.
6 But the thing displeased Shemu'el, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Shemu'el prayed to the LORD.
7 The LORD said to Shemu'el, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Mitzrayim even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you.
9 Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.
10 Shemu'el told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king.
11 He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
12 and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

1 Samuel 8:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 8

This chapter relates, how that Samuel being old, and his sons behaving ill, the people desired to have a king set over them, 1Sa 8:1-5, which case Samuel laid before the Lord, and he was directed by him to yield to the people's desire, but at the same time to set before them all the disadvantages and ill consequences that would arise from thence, which he did, 1Sa 8:6-18, but they insisting upon it, nevertheless, he gave them reason to expect that their request would be granted, 1Sa 8:19-22.

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.