1 Samuel 8:5 - Plain English Version

⁵ They said, “You are an old man now. Your sons don’t live straight like you, so they shouldn’t be judges for us. You have to pick one man to be the big boss for us. In other countries they have one big boss. We want to be the same as them.”

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁵ and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁵ And said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint us a king to rule over us like all the other nations.

American Standard Version (1901)

⁵ and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

Common English Bible

⁵ They said to him, “Listen. You are old now, and your sons don’t follow in your footsteps. So appoint us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

Catholic Public Domain Version

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."

1 Samuel 8:5 Cross References

Acts 13:21

Samuel was their leader, but the people wanted a big boss that would always tell them what to do. So God gave them Saul. He was the son of Kish. Saul belonged to the Benjamin tribe, and he was the big boss over the Israel people for 40 years.

1 Samuel 9:20

Oh, and those donkeys that ran away 3 days ago, don’t worry about them. Other people already found them. But think about this story now. Lots of people are saying, ‘One of Kish’s mob should be the big boss for us, the Israel mob.’ ” (We have not yet translated 9:21-24.)