1. When Samuel grew old he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after gain, they took bribes, and they perverted justice.
4. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
5. They said to him, “Look, you are old and your sons do not follow in your ways. So then appoint a king for us to judge us, like all the nations.
6. But the matter was displeasing to Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” so Samuel prayed to Yahweh.