⁵ They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king^(A) to lead^[a](B) us, such as all the other nations^(C) have.”

⁶ But when they said, “Give us a king^(D) to lead us,” this displeased^(E) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord told him: “Listen^(F) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,^(G) but they have rejected me as their king.^{(H) 8} As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking^(I) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ⁹ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know^(J) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

¹⁰ Samuel told^(K) all the words of the Lord 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^(L) your sons and make them serve^(M) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.^{(N) 12} Some he will assign to be commanders^(O) 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. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your^(P) fields and vineyards^(Q) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.^{(R) 15} He will take a tenth^(S) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[b] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer^(T) you in that day.^(U)”

¹⁹ But the people refused^(V) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want^(W) a king^(X) over us. ²⁰ Then we will be like all the other nations,^(Y) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”