1 Samuel chapter .viij.
¶ When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
The name of his eldest son was Ioel, and the name of the second Abiath, which were judges in Bersabe.
Nevertheless his sons followed not his steps: but turned aside after lucre and took rewards, and perverted the right.
¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered them together and came to Samuel unto Kamath
and said unto him: behold, thou art old and thy sons follow not thy ways. Now therefore make us a king to judge us, as all other nations have.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
And the LORD said unto Samuel, hear the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee. For they have not cast thee away, but me: that I should not reign over them.
And as they have ever done (since I brought them out of Egypt unto this day, and have forsaken me and served other gods) even so do they unto thee.
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet, testify unto them and shew them the duty of the king that shall reign over them.
And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked a king of him,
and he said: this shall be the duty of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons and put them to his chariots and make his horsemen of them and they must run before his chariot,
and will make him captains of them over thousands and over fifties, and set them to ear his ground, and to gather in his harvest, and to make instruments of war and apparel for his chariots.
And he will take your daughters and make them the dressers of his ointments, and his cooks and bakers.
And he shall take the best of your fields, and of your vineyards and of your olive trees, and give them to his servants.
And he shall take the tenth of your seed and of your vines, and give it to his lords, and to his servants.
And he shall take the best of your menservants and maidservants and young men, and of your asses, and do his work with them.
And he shall take the tenth of your sheep, and ye shall be his servants.
And when ye cry out at that time upon your king which ye shall have chosen you, the LORD will not hear you at that day.
Nevertheless the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but did say: nay not so: But there shall be a king over us,
and we will be like all other nations. And our king shall judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people and rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
And the LORD said to Samuel: hearken unto their voice and make them a king. Then said Samuel unto the men of Israel: go every man to his city.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.