English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
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When Samuel got to be an old man, he set his sons up as judges in Israel.
2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.
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His firstborn son was named Joel, the name of his second, Abijah. They were assigned duty in Beersheba.
3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
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But his sons didn't take after him; they were out for what they could get for themselves, taking bribes, corrupting justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah
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Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah.
5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations. ”
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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 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us. ” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
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When Samuel heard their demand - "Give us a king to rule us!" - he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.
7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
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God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King.
8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
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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 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. ”
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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 all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him.
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So Samuel told them, delivered God's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king.
11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots.
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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 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.
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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 will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
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He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks.
14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
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He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.
15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
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He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy.
16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
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Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use.
17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
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He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves.
18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. ”
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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 refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us,
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But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule 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. ”
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Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles."
21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord.
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Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God.
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king. ” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city. ”
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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."
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.