1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2 His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 However, his sons did not walk in his ways — they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.
5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”
6 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the Lord.
7 But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king.