{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/akjv/1-samuel/8","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-31T03:38:26.698Z"},"reference":{"translation":"AKJV","book":"1 Samuel","bookSlug":"1-samuel","chapter":8,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":7,"nextChapter":9,"totalChapters":31,"totalVerses":22},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel."},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah,"},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the LORD."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"And Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people that asked of him a king."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your best young men, and your asses, and put them to his work."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"He will take the tenth of your sheep: and you shall be his servants."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us;"},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"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."}],"citation":{"inline":"1 Samuel 8 (AKJV)","markdown":"[1 Samuel 8](https://primebible.com/akjv/1-samuel/8)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* AKJV. https://primebible.com/akjv/1-samuel/8 (accessed 2026-05-31)."}}