Israel Asks for a King
1When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2The name of his oldest son was Joel. The name of his second son was Abijah. They served as judges at Beersheba. 3But his sons didn’t live as he did. They were only interested in making money. They accepted money from people who wanted special favors. They made things that were wrong appear to be right.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together. They came to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “You are old. Your sons don’t live as you do. So appoint a king to lead us. We want a king just like the kings all the other nations have.”
6Samuel wasn’t pleased when they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So he prayed to the Lord. 7The Lord told him, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. You are not the one they have turned their backs on. I am the one they do not want as their king. 8They are doing just as they have always done. They have deserted me and served other gods. They have done that from the time I brought them up out of Egypt until this day. Now they are deserting you too. 9Let them have what they want. But give them a strong warning. Let them know what the king who rules over them will expect to be done for him.”
10Samuel told the people who were asking him for a king everything the Lord had said. 11Samuel told them, “Here’s what the king who rules over you will expect to be done for him. He will take your sons. He’ll make them serve with his chariots and horses. They will run in front of his chariots. 12He’ll choose some of your sons to be commanders of thousands of men. Some will be commanders of fifties. Others will have to plow his fields and gather his crops. Still others will have to make weapons of war and parts for his chariots. 13He’ll also take your daughters. Some will have to make perfume. Others will be forced to cook and bake. 14He will take away your best fields and vineyards and olive groves. He’ll give them to his attendants. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and a tenth of your grapes. He’ll give it to his officials and attendants. 16He will also take your male and female servants. He’ll take your best cattle and donkeys. He’ll use all of them any way he wants to. 17He will take a tenth of your sheep and goats. You yourselves will become his slaves. 18When that time comes, you will cry out for help because of the king you have chosen. But the Lord won’t answer you at that time.”
19In spite of what Samuel said, the people refused to listen to him. “No!” they said. “We want a king to rule over us. 20Then we’ll be like all the other nations. We’ll have a king to lead us. He’ll go out at the head of our armies and fight our battles.”
21Samuel heard everything the people said. He told the Lord about it. 22The Lord answered, “Listen to them. Give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Each of you go back to your own town.”
Israẹli béèrè fún ọba
1Nígbà tí Samuẹli di arúgbó, ó yan àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí adájọ́ fún Israẹli. 2Orúkọ àkọ́bí rẹ̀ a máa jẹ́ Joeli àti orúkọ èkejì a máa jẹ́ Abijah, wọ́n ṣe ìdájọ́ ní Beerṣeba. 3Ṣùgbọ́n àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀, kò rìn ní ọ̀nà rẹ̀. Wọ́n yípadà sí èrè àìṣòótọ́, wọ́n gba àbẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀, wọ́n sì ń yí ìdájọ́ po.
4Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni, gbogbo àwọn àgbàgbà ti Israẹli péjọpọ̀, wọ́n sì wá sọ́dọ̀ Samuẹli ní Rama. 5Wọ́n wí fún un pé, “Ìwọ ti di arúgbó, àwọn ọmọ rẹ kò sì rìn ní ọ̀nà rẹ: Nísinsin yìí, yan ọba fún wa kí ó lè máa darí wa gẹ́gẹ́ bí i tí gbogbo orílẹ̀-èdè.”
6Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí wọ́n wí pé, “Fún wa ní ọba tí yóò darí wa” Èyí kò tẹ́ Samuẹli lọ́rùn, ó sì gbàdúrà sí Olúwa. 7Olúwa sì sọ fún Samuẹli pé: “Gbọ́ ohùn àwọn ènìyàn náà, ní gbogbo èyí tí wọ́n sọ fún ọ; nítorí kì í ṣe ìwọ ni wọ́n kọ̀, ṣùgbọ́n Èmi ni wọ́n kọ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọba lórí wọn. 8Gẹ́gẹ́ bí wọ́n ti ṣe ní ọjọ́ tí mo mú wọn jáde wá láti Ejibiti títí di ọjọ́ òní, wọ́n kọ̀ mí sílẹ̀, wọ́n sì ń sin ọlọ́run mìíràn, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọ́n ń ṣe sí ọ. 9Nísinsin yìí, gbọ́ tiwọn; ṣùgbọ́n kìlọ̀ fún wọn dáradára, kí o sì jẹ́ kí wọ́n mọ irú ohun tí ọba tí yóò jẹ́ lórí wọn yóò ṣe.”
10Samuẹli sọ gbogbo ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa sí àwọn ọmọ ènìyàn tí ó ń béèrè fún ọba lọ́wọ́ rẹ̀. 11Ó wí pé, “Èyí ni ohun tí ọba tí yóò jẹ lórí yín yóò ṣe. Yóò kó àwọn ọmọkùnrin yín, yóò sì mú wọn ṣiṣẹ́ pẹ̀lú àwọn kẹ̀kẹ́ ogun rẹ̀ àti fún ẹlẹ́ṣin rẹ, wọn yóò sì máa sáré níwájú kẹ̀kẹ́ rẹ̀. 12Yóò yan díẹ̀ láti jẹ́ olórí ẹgbẹ̀rún àti olórí àádọ́ta àti àwọn mìíràn. Yóò yan wọ́n láti máa tulẹ̀ oko rẹ̀ àti láti máa kórè rẹ̀ àti àwọn mìíràn láti máa ṣe ohun èlò ogun àti ohun èlò kẹ̀kẹ́ ogun rẹ̀. 13Yóò mú àwọn ọmọbìnrin yín láti máa ṣe olùṣe ìkunra olóòórùn dídùn àti láti máa ṣe àsè àti láti máa ṣe àkàrà. 14Yóò mú èyí tí ó dára jù nínú oko yín, àti nínú ọgbà àjàrà yín àti nínú igi olifi yín, yóò sì fi wọ́n fún àwọn ọmọ ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀. 15Yóò mú ìdásímẹ́wàá hóró ọkà yín àti àká èso àjàrà yín, yóò sì fi fún àwọn oníṣẹ́ àti ọmọ ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀. 16Àwọn ìránṣẹ́kùnrin àti ìránṣẹ́bìnrin yín àti èyí tí ó dára jù nínú ẹran ọ̀sìn àti àwọn kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́ yín ni yóò mú fún ìlò ti ara rẹ̀. 17Yóò sì mú ìdámẹ́wàá nínú àwọn agbo ẹran yín, yóò sì máa ṣe ẹrú u rẹ̀. 18Tí ọjọ́ náà bá dé, ẹ̀yin yóò kígbe fún ìrànlọ́wọ́ láti ọ̀dọ̀ ọba tí ẹ̀yin ti yàn. Olúwa kò sì ní dá a yín lóhùn ní ọjọ́ náà.”
19Ṣùgbọ́n àwọn ènìyàn náà kọ̀ láti tẹ́tí sí Samuẹli wọ́n wí pé, “Rárá! A bí ìwọ fẹ́ jẹ́ ọba lórí i wa? 20Nígbà náà àwa yóò dàbí gbogbo àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè mìíràn, pẹ̀lú ọba láti darí i wa àti láti jáde lọ níwájú wa láti ja ogun wa.”
21Nígbà tí Samuẹli gbọ́ gbogbo ohun tí àwọn ènìyàn sọ, ó tún tún un sọ níwájú Olúwa. 22Olúwa dáhùn pé, “Tẹ́tí sí wọn, kí o sì yan ọba fún wọn.”
Nígbà náà, Samuẹli sọ fún àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli pé, “Kí olúkúlùkù padà sí ìlú u rẹ̀.”
