1 Samuel8
New International Version
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.
2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.
3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
5They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
6But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.
7And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
8As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
9Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.
11He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
12Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
16Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us.
20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord.
22The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 8.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The evil government of Samuel's sons. (1–3). The Israelites ask for a king. (4–9). The manner of a king. (10–22).
vv1-3
It does not appear that Samuel's sons were so profane and vicious as Eli's sons; but they were corrupt judges, they turned aside after lucre. Samuel took no bribes, but his sons did, and then they perverted judgment. What added to the grievance of the people was, that they were threatened by an invasion from Nahash, king of the Ammonites.
vv4-9
Samuel was displeased; he could patiently bear what reflected on himself, and his own family; but it displeased him when they said, Give us a king to judge us, because that reflected upon God. It drove him to his knees. When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well as our duty, to show our trouble before God. Samuel is to tell them that they shall have a king. Not that God was pleased with their request, but as sometimes he opposes us from loving-kindness, so at other times he gratifies us in wrath; he did so here. God knows how to bring glory to himself, and serves his own wise purposes, even by men's foolish counsels.
vv10-22
If they would have a king to rule them, as the eastern kings ruled their subjects, they would find the yoke exceedingly heavy. Those that submit to the government of the world and the flesh, are told plainly, what hard masters they are, and what tyranny the dominion of sin is. The law of God and the manner of men widely differ from each other; the former should be our rule in the several relations of life; the latter should be the measure of our expectations from others. These would be their grievances, and, when they complained to God, he would not hear them. When we bring ourselves into distress by our own wrong desires and projects, we justly forfeit the comfort of prayer, and the benefit of Divine aid. The people were obstinate and urgent in their demand. Sudden resolves and hasty desires make work for long and leisurely repentance. Our wisdom is, to be thankful for the advantages, and patient under the disadvantages of the government we may live under; and to pray continually for our rulers, that they may govern us in the fear of God, and that we may live under them in all godliness and honesty. And it is a hopeful symptom when our desires of worldly objects can brook delay; and when we can refer the time and manner of their being granted to God's providence.
Key Words
שְׁמוּאֵל: Shemuel, the name of three Israelites
זָקֵן: to be old
שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
שָׁפַט: to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שֵׁם: an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
בְּכוֹר: firstborn; hence, chief
יוֹאֵל: Joel, the name of twelve Israelites
מִשְׁנֶה: properly, a repetition, i.e. a duplicate (copy of a document), or a double (in amount); by implication, a second (in order, rank, age, quality or location)
Cross References
1 Samuel 8Moses foretold the request for a king to judge Israel "like all the nations" around them.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicit law forbidding the taking of gifts or bribes which perverts the judgment of the righteous.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Hosea explicitly states that God gave Israel a king in His anger and took him away in wrath.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Parallels Israel's murmurings; their rejection of Samuel, like Moses, was ultimately a rejection of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Paul's historical summary in Antioch explicitly mentions Israel's request for a king and God granting Saul.
Samuel reviews their demand, noting they chose a human king though the Lord God was their King.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Gideon previously rejected personal dynastic rule because "the Lord shall rule over you."
Samuel writes the "manner of the kingdom" in a book, as commanded in verse 9.
Balaam's prophecy declared Israel should dwell alone, not be reckoned among the nations they sought to copy.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of the warning: Absalom prepares chariots, horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Supported by JFB
Ahab confiscating Naboth's vineyard illustrates a king seizing the best fields as Samuel warned.
When they cry out in their self-inflicted distress, God will refuse to hear their counsel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Genealogical confirmation of Samuel's sons: Vashni (here Joel) and Abiah.
Fulfillment showing Saul taking every strong or valiant man for himself as Samuel warned.