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Home > Bible > 1 Samuel > Chapter 8
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1 Samuel Chapter 8

Samuel growing old, and his sons not walking in his ways, the people desire a king.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4 Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled came to Samuel to Ramatha. 5 And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have. 6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them. Rejected, etc... The government of Israel hitherto had been a theocracy, in which God himself immediately ruled, by laws which he had enacted, and by judges extraordinarily raised up by himself; and therefore he complains that his people rejected him, in desiring a change of government. 8 According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now, therefore, hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them. The right... That is, the manner (misphat) after which he shall proceed, having no one to control him, when he has the power in his hand.

10 Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him, 11 And said: This will be the right of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen, to run before his chariots, 12 And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and his centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots. 13 Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants. 15 Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give to his eunuchs and servants. 16 Your servants also, and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, he will take away, and put them to his work. 17 Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants. 18 And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves: and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king. 19 But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said, Nay: but there shall be a king over us, 20 And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles for us. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to his city.

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Factum est autem cum senuisset Samuel, posuit filios suos judices Israël. 2 Fuitque nomen filii ejus primogeniti Joël: et nomen secundi Abia, judicum in Bersabee. 3 Et non ambulaverunt filii illius in viis ejus: sed declinaverunt post avaritiam, acceperuntque munera, et perverterunt judicium. 4 Congregati ergo universi majores natu Israël, venerunt ad Samuelem in Ramatha. 5 Dixeruntque ei: Ecce tu senuisti, et filii tui non ambulant in viis tuis: constitue nobis regem, ut judicet nos, sicut et universæ habent nationes. 6 Displicuit sermo in oculis Samuelis, eo quod dixissent: Da nobis regem, ut judicet nos. Et oravit Samuel ad Dominum. 7 Dixit autem Dominus ad Samuelem: Audi vocem populi in omnibus quæ loquuntur tibi: non enim te abjecerunt, sed me, ne regnem super eos. 8 Juxta omnia opera sua quæ fecerunt, a die qua eduxi eos de Ægypto usque ad diem hanc: sicut dereliquerunt me, et servierunt diis alienis, sic faciunt etiam tibi. 9 Nunc ergo vocem eorum audi: verumtamen contestare eos, et prædic eis jus regis, qui regnaturus est super eos.

10 Dixit itaque Samuel omnia verba Domini ad populum, qui petierat a se regem. 11 Et ait: Hoc erit jus regis, qui imperaturus est vobis: filios vestros tollet, et ponet in curribus suis: facietque sibi equites et præcursores quadrigarum suarum, 12 et constituet sibi tribunos, et centuriones, et aratores agrorum suorum, et messores segetum, et fabros armorum et curruum suorum. 13 Filias quoque vestras faciet sibi unguentarias, et focarias, et panificas. 14 Agros quoque vestros, et vineas, et oliveta optima tollet, et dabit servis suis. 15 Sed et segetes vestras et vinearum reditus addecimabit, ut det eunuchis et famulis suis. 16 Servos etiam vestros, et ancillas, et juvenes optimos, et asinos, auferet, et ponet in opere suo. 17 Greges quoque vestros addecimabit, vosque eritis ei servi. 18 Et clamabitis in die illa a facie regis vestri, quem elegistis vobis: et non exaudiet vos Dominus in die illa, quia petistis vobis regem. 19 Noluit autem populus audire vocem Samuelis, sed dixerunt: Nequaquam: rex enim erit super nos, 20 et erimus nos quoque sicut omnes gentes: et judicabit nos rex noster, et egredietur ante nos, et pugnabit bella nostra pro nobis. 21 Et audivit Samuel omnia verba populi, et locutus est ea in auribus Domini. 22 Dixit autem Dominus ad Samuelem: Audi vocem eorum, et constitue super eos regem. Et ait Samuel ad viros Israël: Vadat unusquisque in civitatem suam.

Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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