1
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
2
Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee.
3
And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4
Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled came to Samuel to Ramatha.
5
And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have.
6
And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7
And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them.
8
According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee.
9
Now, therefore, hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.
10
Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,