| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. | 1In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. |
| 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. | 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. |
| 3Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. | 3But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice. |
| 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah | 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. |
| 5and 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.” | 5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons don't follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have." |
| 6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. | 6But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, "Give us a king to lead us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. |
| 7And 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. | 7The LORD said to Samuel, "Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. |
| 8According 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. | 8Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. |
| 9Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” | 9So now do as they say. But seriously warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them." |
| 10So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. | 10So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. |
| 11He 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. | 11He said, "Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. |
| 12And 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. | 12He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. |
| 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. | 13He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. |
| 14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. | 14He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. |
| 15He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. | 15He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators and his servants. |
| 16He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. | 16He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. |
| 17He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. | 17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. |
| 18And 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.” | 18In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you in that day." |
| 19But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, | 19But the people refused to heed Samuel's warning. Instead they said, "No! There will be a king over us! |
| 20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” | 20We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles." |
| 21And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. | 21So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the LORD. |
| 22And 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.” | 22The LORD said to Samuel, "Do as they say and install a king over them." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go back to his own city." |
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