³ But his sons^(A) did not follow his ways. They turned aside^(B) after dishonest gain and accepted bribes^(C) and perverted^(D) justice.

⁴ So all the elders^(E) of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.^{(F) 5} They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king^(G) to lead^[a](H) us, such as all the other nations^(I) have.”

⁶ But when they said, “Give us a king^(J) to lead us,” this displeased^(K) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord told him: “Listen^(L) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,^(M) but they have rejected me as their king.^{(N) 8} As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking^(O) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.

¹² Some he will assign to be commanders^(A) 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.