1 When Samuel was old, 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 His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah. 5 They said to him, "Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your 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."

Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do to you. 9 Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them."

10 Samuel told all Yahweh’s words to the people who asked him for a king. 11 He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest; and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even your best, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work. 17 He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants. 18 You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day."

19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over 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."

21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. 22 Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king."

Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go to your own 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 Rama

5 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.