1 Samuel 8:6
Verse 6 of 22. The 8th of 31 chapters in 1 Samuel, in History.
2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.
5They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them.
8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do to you.
9Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”
10Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked him for a king.
World English Bible. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.