◄ 1 Samuel 8 ► Parallel Chapters Israel Demands a King NIV ESV NASB KJV HCSB 1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel's leaders. 1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 1 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 2 His firstborn son's name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 3 However, his sons did not walk in his ways--they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. NIV ESV NASB KJV HCSB 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 5 and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations." 5 And 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. 5 They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have." 6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 6 When they said, "Give us a king to judge us," Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 7 The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 7 And 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. 7 But the LORD told him, "Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 8 "Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day-- in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods-- so they are doing to you also. 8 According 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. 8 They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights." 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” 9 "Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them." 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 9 Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them." Samuel's Warning About Kings NIV ESV NASB KJV HCSB 10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king. 10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 10 Samuel told all the LORD's words to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 11 He said, "This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. 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, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 11 He said, "These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 12 "He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 12 And 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. 12 He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 13 "He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 13 He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers. NIV ESV NASB KJV HCSB 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 14 "He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 14 He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 15 "He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 15 He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 16 "He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 16 He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 17 "He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 17 He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” 18 "Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." 18 And 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. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you've chosen for yourselves, but the LORD won't answer you on that day." God Grants the Request NIV ESV NASB KJV HCSB 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us, 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 19 The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We must have a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 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.” 20 that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." 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. 20 Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. 21 Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD'S hearing. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 21 Samuel listened to all the people's words and then repeated them to the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the Israelites, "Everyone go back to your own town." 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” 22 The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint them a king." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city." 22 And 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. 22 "Listen to them," the LORD told Samuel. "Appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Each of you, go back to your city."





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