1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.2 And the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they judged in Beer-sheba.3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah,5 and said to him, Behold, thou art become old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now appoint us a king to judge us, like all the nations.6 And the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.7 And Jehovah said to 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 deeds that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.9 And now hearken unto their voice; only, testify solemnly unto them, and declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.10 And Samuel spoke all the words of Jehovah to the people that asked of him a king.11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, on his chariot and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;12 and {he will take them} that he may appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and that they may plough his ground, and reap his harvest, and make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots.13 And he will take your daughters for perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.14 And your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best, will he take and give to his servants.15 And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his chamberlains and to his servants.16 And he will take your bondmen, and your bondwomen, and your comeliest young men, and your asses, and use them for his work.17 He will take the tenth of your sheep. And ye shall be his servants.18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.19 And the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but there shall be a king over us,20 that we also may be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and conduct our wars.21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah.22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.

1 En toe Samuel oud was, het hy sy seuns as rigters oor Israel aangestel.2 Die naam van sy eersgeborene was Joël, en die naam van sy tweede Ab¡a, rigters in Bers,ba.3 Maar sy seuns het nie in sy weë gewandel nie: hulle het onregverdige wins agternageloop en omkoopgeskenke aangeneem en die reg verdraai.4 Toe kom al die oudstes van Israel bymekaar, en hulle gaan na Samuel in Rama5 en sê vir hom: Kyk, u is oud, en u seuns wandel nie in u weë nie; stel nou 'n koning oor ons aan om ons te rig soos by al die nasies.6 Maar die woord was verkeerd in die oë van Samuel toe hulle gesê het: Gee ons 'n koning om ons te rig, en Samuel het tot die HERE gebid.7 Toe sê die HERE vir Samuel: Luister na die volk in alles wat hulle aan jou sê, want nie jou het hulle verwerp nie, maar My het hulle verwerp om nie koning oor hulle te wees nie.8 Soos al die werke wat hulle gedoen het, van die dag af dat Ek hulle uit Egipte laat optrek het tot vandag toe, dat hulle My verlaat en ander gode gedien het -- so doen hulle ook met jou.9 Luister dan nou na hulle: jy moet hulle net ernstig waarsku en hulle die reg van die koning meedeel wat oor hulle sal regeer.10 Samuel het toe al die woorde van die HERE oorgebring aan die volk wat 'n koning van hom gevra het.11 En hy het gesê: Dit sal die reg wees van die koning wat oor julle sal regeer: Julle seuns sal hy neem en hulle vir homself aanstel by sy wa en by sy perde, dat hulle voor sy wa uit hardloop;12 en om hulle vir homself aan te stel as owerstes oor duisend en owerstes oor vyftig, en om sy land te ploeg en om sy oes in te samel, en om sy oorlogswapens en gereedskap vir sy strydwaens te maak.13 Ook julle dogters sal hy neem as salfmengsters en as kooksters en baksters.14 En van julle lande en julle wingerde en julle olyfboorde sal hy die beste neem en aan sy dienaars gee.15 En van julle saailande en julle wingerde sal hy die tiendes neem en dit aan sy hofdienaars en sy dienaars gee.16 En julle slawe en slavinne en julle beste jongmanne en julle esels sal hy neem en vir sy werk gebruik.17 Van julle kleinvee sal hy die tiendes neem, en self sal julle sy slawe wees.18 En in die dag sal julle roep vanweë jul koning wat julle vir jul verkies het, en die HERE sal julle in die dag nie verhoor nie.19 Maar die volk het geweier om na Samuel te luister en gesê: Nee, maar daar moet 'n koning oor ons wees,20 dat ons ook kan wees soos al die nasies -- dat ons koning ons kan rig en voor ons uit trek en ons oorloë voer.21 En Samuel het al die woorde van die volk aangehoor en dit voor die ore van die HERE uitgespreek.22 Toe sê die HERE vir Samuel: Luister na hulle en stel 'n koning oor hulle aan. En Samuel het vir die manne van Israel gesê: Gaan heen, elkeen na sy stad.