Reader Chapter

1 Shamu'al 8

1 Shamu'al chapter 8 in the Qadmoni reader. Read the full chapter text with direct verse references and continue into the interactive reader.

Browse 1 Shamu'al chapter index
8:1

The Demand for a King and the Rejection of the Celestial Sovereign

And it came to pass, when Shamuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Yashar'al.
8:2
Now the name of his firstborn was Yoel; and the name of his second, Abiyah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
8:3
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
8:4

The Assembly of the Elders

Then all the elders of Yashar'al gathered themselves together, and came to Shamuel unto Ramah,
8:5
And said unto him, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."
8:6

The Grief of the Prophet

But the thing displeased Shamuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Shamuel prayed unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
8:7

The Legal Rejection of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said unto Shamuel, "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."
8:8
"According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Mitzrayim even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other lo alahiym, so do they also unto thee."
8:9
"Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."
8:10

The Warning of the Earthly Matrix

And Shamuel told all the words of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 unto the people that asked of him a king.
8:11
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."
8:12
"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."
8:13
"And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers."
8:14
"And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants."
8:15
"And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants."
8:16
"And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work."
8:17
"He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants."
8:18

The Consequence of the Choice

"And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 will not hear you in that day."
8:19

The Ultimate Abdication

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Shamuel; and they said, "Nay; but we will have a king over us;"
8:20
"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."
8:21
And Shamuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
8:22

The Decree to Yield

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to Shamuel, "Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king." And Shamuel said unto the men of Yashar'al, "Go ye every man unto his city."