1
And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.
3
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment.
4
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel at Ramah
5
and said unto him, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us, like all the nations."
6
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7
And the LORD said unto Samuel, "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not 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.