²⁵ Then Samuel told the people ^(A)the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.

¹⁶ Only he must not acquire many ^(A)horses for himself or cause the people ^(B)to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ^(C)‘You shall never return that way again.’ ¹⁷ And he ^(D)shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, ^(E)nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

¹⁸ “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, ^(F)he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, ^(G)approved by^[a] the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ And ^(H)it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, ^(I)that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, ²⁰ that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he ^(J)may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, ^(K)so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.