Israel Demands a King (Deuteronomy 17:14–20)
1 AKJV And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. BSB BSB: When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2 AKJV Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. BSB BSB: The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3 AKJV And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. BSB BSB: But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
4 AKJV Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah, BSB BSB: So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
5 AKJV And said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. BSB BSB: “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”
6 AKJV But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the LORD. BSB BSB: But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
7 AKJV And the LORD said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you: for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. BSB BSB: And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.
8 AKJV According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, with which they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. BSB BSB: Just 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.
9 AKJV Now therefore listen to their voice: however, yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. BSB BSB: Now listen to their voice; but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”
Samuel’s Warning 10 AKJV And Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people that asked of him a king. BSB BSB: So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.
11 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots.
12 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 AKJV And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. BSB BSB: And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14 AKJV And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. BSB BSB: He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.
15 AKJV And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. BSB BSB: He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.
16 AKJV And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your best young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. BSB BSB: And he will take your menservants and maidservants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his own use.
17 AKJV He will take the tenth of your sheep: and you shall be his servants. BSB BSB: He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18 AKJV And you shall cry out in that day because of your king which you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. BSB BSB: When that day comes, you will beg for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
God Grants the Request 19 AKJV Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us; BSB BSB: Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.
20 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”
21 AKJV And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. BSB BSB: Samuel listened to all the words of the people and repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.
22 AKJV And the LORD said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city. BSB BSB: “Listen to their voice,” the LORD said to Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Everyone must go back to his city.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.