Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 8"

1 Samuel 8

Common English Bible CEB

1 Now when Samuel got old, he appointed his sons to serve as Israel's judges.

2 The name of his oldest son was Joel; the name of the second was Abijah. They served as judges in Beer-sheba.

3 But Samuel's sons didn't follow in his footsteps. They tried to turn a profit, they accepted bribes, and they perverted justice.

4 So all the Israelite elders got together and went to Samuel at Ramah.

5 They said to him, "Listen. You are old now, and your sons don't follow in your footsteps. So appoint us a king to judge us like all the other nations have."

6 It seemed very bad to Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us," so he prayed to the LORD.

7 The LORD answered Samuel, "Comply with the people's request—everything they ask of you—because they haven't rejected you. No, they've rejected me as king over them.

8 They are doing to you only what they've been doing to me from the day I brought them out of Egypt to this very minute, abandoning me and worshipping other gods.

9 So comply with their request, but give them a clear warning, telling them how the king will rule over them."

10 Then Samuel explained everything the LORD had said to the people who were asking for a king.

11 "This is how the king will rule over you," Samuel said: "He will take your sons, and will use them for his chariots and his cavalry and as runners for his chariot.

12 He will use them as his commanders of troops of one thousand and troops of fifty, or to do his plowing and his harvesting, or to make his weapons or parts for his chariots.

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, or bakers.

14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants.

15 He will give one-tenth of your grain and your vineyards to his officials and servants.

16 He will take your male and female servants, along with the best of your cattle and donkeys, and make them do his work.

17 He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and then you yourselves will become his slaves!

18 When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you chose for yourselves, but on that day the LORD won't answer you."

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel and said, "No! There must be a king over us

20 so we can be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles."

21 Samuel listened to everything the people said and repeated it directly to the LORD.

22 Then the LORD said to Samuel, "Comply with their request. Give them a king." Samuel then told the Israelite people, "Go back, each of you, to your own hometown."

The Message Bible MSG

1 When Samuel got to be an old man, he set his sons up as judges in Israel.

2 His firstborn son was named Joel, the name of his second, Abijah. They were assigned duty in Beersheba.

3 But his sons didn't take after him; they were out for what they could get for themselves, taking bribes, corrupting justice.

4 Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah.

5 They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else."

6 When Samuel heard their demand - "Give us a king to rule us!" - he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.

7 God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King.

8 From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they're doing it to you.

9 So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they're likely to get from a king."

10 So Samuel told them, delivered God's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king.

11 He said, "This is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and make soldiers of them - chariotry, cavalry, infantry,

12 regimented in battalions and squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury.

13 He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks.

14 He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.

15 He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy.

16 Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use.

17 He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves.

18 The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect God to answer."

19 But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule us!

20 Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles."

21 Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God.

22 God told Samuel, "Do what they say. Make them a king." Then Samuel dismissed the men of Israel: "Go home, each of you to your own city."