1
And it came to pass, when Shemu’el was old, that he appointed his sons as shofetim over Yisra’el.
2
And the name of his firstborn son was Yoel, and the name of his second was Aviyah. They judged in Be’er-Sheva.
3
But his sons did not walk in his ways. And they turned aside after unjust gain, and took bribes, and bent judgment.
4
And all the elders of Yisra’el gathered themselves together and came to Shemu’el at HaRamah.
5
And they said to him, “See, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. And now appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.”
6
And the thing was evil in the eyes of Shemu’el when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Shemu’el prayed to Yahuah.
7
And Yahuah said to Shemu’el, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you they have rejected, but Me they have rejected from being King over them.
8
According to all the deeds that they have done from the day I brought them up from Mitzrayim even to this day, forsaking Me and serving other elohim, so they are also doing to you.
9
And now, listen to their voice. Only testifying, you shall surely testify against them, and declare to them the judgment of the king who will reign over them.”
10
And Shemu’el spoke all the words of Yahuah to the people who were asking from him a king.
11
And he said, “This shall be the judgment of the king who will reign over you: your sons he will take and place them for himself among his chariots and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots.
12
And he will appoint for himself rulers of thousands and rulers of fifties, and some to plow his plowing and to reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and the equipment of his chariots.
13
And your daughters he will take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers.
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And your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves—the best of them—he will take and give to his servants.
15
And your seed and your vineyards he will take a tenth of, and give to his officers and to his servants.
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And your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys he will take and use for his work.
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Your flocks he will take a tenth of, and you yourselves shall become his servants.
18
And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but Yahuah will not answer you in that day.”
19
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Shemu’el, and they said, “No, but a king shall be over us,
20
that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before our face and fight our battles.”
21
And Shemu’el heard all the words of the people and spoke them in the ears of Yahuah.
22
And Yahuah said to Shemu’el, “Listen to their voice and appoint for them a king.” And Shemu’el said to the men of Yisra’el, “Go, each ish to his city.”