1En su vejez Samuel se retiró y nombró jueces de Israel a sus hijos.2Joel, que era el primogénito, y Abías, que era el segundo, se establecieran como jueces en Berseba.3Pero no eran como su padre, porque eran codiciosos. Aceptaban sobornos y se corrompían en la administración de la justicia.4Entonces los jefes de Israel se reunieron en Ramá para discutir el asunto con Samuel.5Le dijeron que desde que se había retirado las cosas no eran iguales, porque sus hijos no andaban por buen camino. «Danos un rey como las demás naciones lo tienen» —le rogaron.6Esto puso a Samuel terriblemente molesto y fue a consultar al SEÑOR.7«Haz lo que te piden —respondió el SEÑOR—, porque no te están rechazando a ti sino a mí. Ellos no quieren que yo sea su rey.8Desde que los saqué de la tierra de Egipto, continuamente se han apartado de mí y han seguido a otros dioses. Ahora te dan a ti el mismo trato.9Complácelos, pero adviérteles lo que significará tener un rey».10Samuel le comunicó al pueblo lo que el SEÑOR le había dicho:11―Si insisten en tener un rey, sepan lo que les espera; a algunos de los hijos de ustedes los tomará y los destinará a sus carros y a su caballería para que salgan delante de él a la guerra;12a otros los hará oficiales del ejército, y a otros los obligará a labrar los campos reales, a segar sus cosechas sin recibir pago, y a hacer armas y equipo bélico para sus carros.13Tomará las hijas de ustedes y las obligará a cocinar y a hacer perfumes para él.14Tomará lo mejor de los campos, viñedos y olivares, y lo dará a sus amigos.15Tomará la décima parte de la cosecha y la dará a sus funcionarios y cortesanos.16Exigirá que le proporcionen esclavos y los mejores animales para su uso personal.17Exigirá la décima parte del ganado y ustedes mismos serán sus esclavos.18Cuando llegue ese día, ustedes derramarán amargas lágrimas a causa del rey que piden hoy, pero el SEÑOR no les ayudará.19Con todo, el pueblo no quiso oír la advertencia de Samuel. ―De todos modos, queremos un rey —le dijeron—.20Queremos ser como las demás naciones que nos rodean. Él nos gobernará y nos conducirá a la batalla.21Samuel le comunicó al SEÑOR lo que el pueblo había decidido,22y el SEÑOR contestó: ―Haz lo que ellos dicen y dales un rey. Samuel, pues, les dio la respuesta afirmativa y los envió a sus casas.
1When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. (Dt 16:18)2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.3Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. (Ex 18:21; Ex 23:8; Dt 16:19; Sal 15:5)4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah (1 S 7:17)5and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” (Dt 17:14; 1 S 8:19; Os 13:10; Hch 13:21)6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.7And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. (Ex 16:8; 1 S 10:19)8According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.9Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” (1 S 8:11)
Samuel’s Warning Against Kings
10So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him.11He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. (Dt 17:16; 1 S 10:25; 1 S 14:52)12And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. (Gn 45:6)13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. (1 R 21:7; Ez 46:18)15He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.16He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men[1] and your donkeys, and put them to his work.17He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.18And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” (Pr 1:28; Is 1:15; Miq 3:4)
The Lord Grants Israel’s Request
19But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us,20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” (1 S 8:5)21And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord.22And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” (1 S 8:7; Os 13:11)