1 And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.
3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.
4 Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.
5 And they said to him: "Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have."
6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7 Then the Lord said to Samuel: "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.