Quotes About Leadership

And the cows headed straight up the road toward Beth-shemesh, staying on that one highway and lowing as they went, never straying to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

And when the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”

So Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Every year he would go on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.

Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

“Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”

But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.

And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.

He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.

He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his weapons of war, and to equip his chariots.

And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.

And he will take your menservants and maidservants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his own use.

He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.

Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”

Samuel listened to all the words of the people and repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.