1 Samuel 8, side by side

¹When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

¹And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

²Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

²Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

³His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

³And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.

⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

⁵They 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.”

⁵And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

⁶But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.

⁶But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

⁷The LORD 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.

⁷And the LORD said unto 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.

⁸According 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.

⁸According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

⁹Now 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.”

⁹Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

¹⁰Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked him for a king.

¹⁰And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

¹¹He 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.

¹¹And 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, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

¹²He 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.

¹²And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

¹³He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers.

¹³And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

¹⁴He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants.

¹⁴And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

¹⁵He will take one tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers, and to his servants.

¹⁵And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

¹⁶He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.

¹⁶And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

¹⁷He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.

¹⁷He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

¹⁸You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

¹⁸And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

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

¹⁹Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have 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.”

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.

²¹Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

²¹And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

²²The LORD 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.”

²²And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.