1 Samuel 8
By occasion of the ill government of Samuel's sons, the Israelites ask a king.
1 Samuel 8:1 Forsothe it was don, whanne Samuel hadde wexide eld, he settide hise sones iugis on Israel. 1 Samuel 8:2 And the name of his firste gendrid sone was Johel, and the name of the secounde was Abia, iugis in Bersabee. 1 Samuel 8:3 And hise sones yeden not in the weies of hym, but thei bowiden after aueryce, and thei token yiftis, and peruertiden doom. 1 Samuel 8:4 Therfor alle the grettere men in birthe of Israel weren gaderid, and camen to Samuel in to Ramatha. 1 Samuel 8:5 And thei seiden to hym, Lo! thou hast wexid eld, and thi sones goen not in thi weies; ordeyne thou a kyng to vs, that he deme vs, as also alle naciouns han.
Samuel praying in grief is comforted by God.
1 Samuel 8:6 And the word displeside in the iyen of Samuel, for thei hadden seid, Yyue thou to vs a kyng, that he deme vs. And Samuel preiede to the Lord. 1 Samuel 8:7 Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here thou the vois of the puple in alle thingis whiche thei speken to thee; for thei han not caste awey thee, but me, that Y regne not on hem. 1 Samuel 8:8 Bi alle her werkis whiche thei diden, fro the day in whiche Y ledde hem out of Egipt til to this dai, as thei forsoken me, and seruyden alien goddis, so thei doon also to thee. 1 Samuel 8:9 Now therfor here thou her vois; netheles witnesse thou to hem; biforseie thou to hem the riyt of the kyng, that schal regne on hem.
He telleth the manner of a king.
1 Samuel 8:10 Therfor Samuel seide alle the wordis of the Lord to the puple, that hadde axid of him a king; and he seide, 1 Samuel 8:11 This schal be the riyt of the kyng, that schal comaunde to you; he schal take youre sones, and schal sette in hise charis; 1 Samuel 8:12 and he schal make hem to hym silf rideris, and biforegoeris of hise cartis; and he schal ordeyne to hym tribunes, that is, souereyns of a thousynd, and centuriouns, that is, souereyns of an hundrid, and eereris of hise feeldis, and reperis of cornes, and smythis of hise armeris, and charis. 1 Samuel 8:13 Also he schal make youre douytris makeris of oynementis to hym silf, and fueris, and bakeris. 1 Samuel 8:14 And he schal take youre feeldis and vyneris and the beste places of olyues, and schal yyue to hise seruauntis. 1 Samuel 8:15 But also he schal take the tenthe part of youre cornes, and rentis of vyneris, that he yyue to his chaumberleyns and seruauntis. 1 Samuel 8:16 Sotheli he schal take awey youre seruauntis and handmaydes, and beste yong men, and assis, and schal sette in his werk. 1 Samuel 8:17 Also he schal take the tenthe part of youre flockis, and ye schulen be seruauntis to hym. 1 Samuel 8:18 And ye schulen crye in that dai fro the face of youre kyng, whom ye han chose to you; and the Lord schal not here you in that dai; for ye axiden a kyng to you.
God willeth Samuel to yield unto the importunity of the people.
1 Samuel 8:19 Sotheli the puple nolde here the vois of Samuel, but thei seiden, Nay for a kyng schal be on vs; 1 Samuel 8:20 and we also schulen be as alle folkis, and oure kyng schal deme vs, and he schal go out bifor vs, and he schal fiyte oure batel for vs. 1 Samuel 8:21 And Samuel herde alle the wordis of the puple, and spak tho in the eeris of the Lord. 1 Samuel 8:22 Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here thou the vois of hem, and ordeyne thou a kyng on hem. And Samuel seide to the men of Israel, Ech man go in to his citee.
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