Israel Asks for a King
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.8:1 Traditionally judges 2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead8:5 Traditionally judge; also in verses 6 and 20 us, such as all the other nations have.”
6But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7And 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. 8As 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. 9Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11He 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. 12Some 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. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle8:16 Septuagint; Hebrew young men and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18When 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.”
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
Israeli Waomba Mfalme
18:1 Kum 16:18-19; Amu 10:4; 12:14Samweli alipokuwa mzee, akaweka wanawe kuwa waamuzi wa Israeli. 28:2 1Nya 6:28; Mwa 22; 19; 1Fal 19:3; Amo 5:4-5Mzaliwa wa kwanza alikuwa Yoeli, na la wa pili lilikuwa Abiya, nao wakatumika huko Beer-Sheba. 38:3 1Sam 2:12; Neh 9:29; Ay 34:27; Za 14:3; 58:3; Isa 53:6; Kut 23:8; 1Sam 12:3; Mit 17:23; Kut 23:2; Kum 16:19Lakini wanawe hawakuenenda katika njia zake. Waliziacha wakageukia faida za udanganyifu nao wakapokea rushwa na kupotosha haki.
48:4 Amu 11:11; 1Sam 11:3; 7:17Basi wazee wote wa Israeli wakakusanyika pamoja na kumjia Samweli huko Rama. 58:5 Kum 17:14-20; 1Sam 10:19; 12:12-13; 3:20; 12:2; Hos 13:11Wakamwambia, “Wewe umekuwa mzee, nao wanao hawaenendi katika njia zako, sasa tuteulie mfalme wa kutuongoza, kama ilivyo kwa mataifa mengine yote.”
68:6 Hos 13:10; 1Sam 12:17; 15:11; 16:1Lakini wao waliposema, “Tupe mfalme wa kutuongoza,” hili lilimchukiza Samweli, hivyo akamwomba Bwana. 78:7 1Sam 12:1; Hes 11:20; Kut 16:8; Mt 10:24-25; Lk 10:16; Yn 13:16; 1Sam 10:19Naye Bwana akamwambia: “Sikiliza yale yote watu wanakuambia. Si wewe ambaye wamekukataa, bali wamenikataa mimi kuwa mfalme wao. 88:8 1Sam 12:10; 2Fal 21:22; Yer 2:17Kama vile walivyofanya tangu siku nilipowapandisha kutoka Misri mpaka siku hii ya leo; wakiniacha mimi na kutumikia miungu mingine, ndivyo wanavyokufanyia wewe. 98:9 Kum 17:14-20; 1Sam 8:11-18; 10:25Sasa wasikilize, lakini waonye kwa makini na uwafahamishe yale watakayotendewa na mfalme atakayewatawala.”
108:10 Kut 19:7Samweli akawaambia wale watu waliokuwa wakiomba wapewe mfalme maneno yote ya Bwana. 118:11 1Sam 10:25; 14:52; Mwa 41:46; Kum 17:16; 2Sam 15:1; 2Nya 1:14; 9:25; Wim 3:7; 1Nya 1:5Akasema, “Hivi ndivyo atakavyowatendea mfalme atakayewatawala. Atawachukua wana wenu na kuwafanya watumike kwa magari yake ya vita na farasi, nao watakimbia mbele ya magari yake. 128:12 Kum 1:15; 1Sam 22:7Baadhi yao atawaweka kuwa majemadari wa jeshi wa maelfu na majemadari wa jeshi wa hamsini, wengine kulima mashamba yake na kuvuna mavuno yake, pia na wengine kutengeneza silaha za vita na vifaa kwa ajili ya magari yake. 13Atawachukua binti zenu kuwa watengeneza manukato, wapishi na waokaji. 148:14 1Sam 28:6; Ay 27:9; 35:12-13; Za 18:41; 66:18; Mit 1:28; Isa 58:4; 59:2; Yer 14:12; Eze 8:18; Mik 3:4; 1Sam 10:25; 1Fal 12:4Atayachukua mashamba yenu yaliyo mazuri, mashamba ya mizabibu na mashamba yenu ya mizeituni na kuwapa watumishi wake. 158:15 Mwa 41:34; 1Sam 17:25Ataichukua sehemu ya kumi ya nafaka yenu na ya zabibu zenu na kuwapa maafisa wake na watumishi wake. 16Atawachukua watumishi wenu wa kiume na wa kike, na ngʼombe wenu walio wazuri sana na punda kwa matumizi yake mwenyewe. 17Atachukua sehemu ya kumi ya makundi yenu ya kondoo na mbuzi, na ninyi wenyewe mtakuwa watumwa wake. 188:18 1Sam 28:6; Ay 27:9; 35:12-13; Za 18:41; 66:18; Mit 1:28; Isa 58:4; 59:2; Yer 14:12; Eze 8:18; Mik 3:4; 1Sam 10:25; 1Fal 12:4Siku ile itakapowadia, mtalia kwa kutaka msaada kutokana na mfalme mliyemchagua, naye Bwana hatawajibu.”
198:19 Mit 1:24; Isa 50:2; 66:4; Yer 7:13; 8; 12; 13; 10; 44:16; Mdo 13:21Lakini watu wakakataa kumsikiliza Samweli wakasema, “Hapana! Tunataka mfalme wa kututawala. 20Kisha tutakuwa kama mataifa mengine yote, tukiwa na mfalme wa kutuongoza na kwenda mbele yetu na kutupigania vita vyetu.”
218:21 Amu 11:11Samweli aliposikia yote watu waliyosema, akarudia kuyasema mbele za Bwana. 228:22 Hos 13:11Bwana akamjibu, “Wasikilize na uwape mfalme.”
Kisha Samweli akawaambia watu wa Israeli, “Kila mmoja arudi mjini kwake.”
