1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
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.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel H8050 was old, H2204 that he made H7760 his sons H1121 judges H8199 over Israel. H3478
2 Now the name H8034 of his firstborn H1121 H1060 was Joel; H3100 and the name H8034 of his second, H4932 Abiah: H29 they were judges H8199 in Beersheba. H884
3 And his sons H1121 walked H1980 not in his ways, H1870 but turned aside H5186 after H310 lucre, H1215 and took H3947 bribes, H7810 and perverted H5186 judgment. H4941
4 Then all the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 gathered themselves together, H6908 and came H935 to Samuel H8050 unto Ramah, H7414
5 And said H559 unto him, Behold, thou art old, H2204 and thy sons H1121 walk H1980 not in thy ways: H1870 now make H7760 us a king H4428 to judge H8199 us like all the nations. H1471
6 But the thing H1697 displeased H3415 H5869 Samuel, H8050 when they said, H559 Give H5414 us a king H4428 to judge H8199 us. And Samuel H8050 prayed H6419 unto the LORD. H3068
7 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 Hearken H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the people H5971 in all that they say H559 unto thee: for they have not rejected H3988 thee, but they have rejected H3988 me, that I should not reign H4427 over them.
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;
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.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
1 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel `is' aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel.
2 And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba:
3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.
4 And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath,
5 and say unto him, `Lo, thou hast become aged, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways; now, appoint to us a king, to judge us, like all the nations.'
6 And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, `Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Hearken to the voice of the people, to all that they say unto thee, for thee they have not rejected, but Me they have rejected, from reigning over them.
1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 And the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they judged in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah,
5 and said to him, Behold, thou art become old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now appoint us a king to judge us, like all the nations.
6 And the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
1 It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3 His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;
5 and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
7 Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
1 Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 The name of his first son was Joel and the name of his second Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.
4 Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah,
5 And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations.
6 But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.
7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 8
Commentary on 1 Samuel 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
1Sa 8:1-18. Occasioned by the Ill- Government of Samuel's Sons, the Israelites Ask a King.
1-5. when Samuel was old—He was now about fifty-four years of age, having discharged the office of sole judge for twelve years. Unable, from growing infirmities, to prosecute his circuit journeys through the country, he at length confined his magisterial duties to Ramah and its neighborhood (1Sa 7:15), delegating to his sons as his deputies the administration of justice in the southern districts of Palestine, their provincial court being held at Beer-sheba. The young men, however, did not inherit the high qualities of their father. Having corrupted the fountains of justice for their own private aggrandizement, a deputation of the leading men in the country lodged a complaint against them in headquarters, accompanied with a formal demand for a change in the government. The limited and occasional authority of the judges, the disunion and jealousy of the tribes under the administration of those rulers, had been creating a desire for a united and permanent form of government; while the advanced age of Samuel, together with the risk of his death happening in the then unsettled state of the people, was the occasion of calling forth an expression of this desire now.
6-10. the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us—Personal and family feelings might affect his views of this public movement. But his dissatisfaction arose principally from the proposed change being revolutionary in its character. Though it would not entirely subvert their theocratic government, the appointment of a visible monarch would necessarily tend to throw out of view their unseen King and Head. God intimated, through Samuel, that their request would, in anger, be granted, while at the same time he apprised them of some of the evils that would result from their choice.
11. This will be the manner of the king—The following is a very just and graphic picture of the despotic governments which anciently and still are found in the East, and into conformity with which the Hebrew monarchy, notwithstanding the restrictions prescribed by the law, gradually slid.
He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself—Oriental sovereigns claim a right to the services of any of their subjects at pleasure.
some shall run before his chariots—The royal equipages were, generally throughout the East (as in Persia they still are), preceded and accompanied by a number of attendants who ran on foot.
12. he will appoint him captains—In the East, a person must accept any office to which he may be nominated by the king, however irksome it may be to his taste or ruinous to his interests.
13. he will take your daughters to be confectionaries—Cookery, baking, and the kindred works are, in Eastern countries, female employment, and thousands of young women are occupied with these offices in the palaces even of petty princes.
14-18. he will take your fields, &c.—The circumstances mentioned here might be illustrated by exact analogies in the conduct of many Oriental monarchs in the present day.
19-22. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel—They sneered at Samuel's description as a bugbear to frighten them. Determined, at all hazards, to gain their object, they insisted on being made like all the other nations, though it was their glory and happiness to be unlike other nations in having the Lord for their King and Lawgiver (Nu 23:9; De 33:28). Their demand was conceded, for the government of a king had been provided for in the law; and they were dismissed to wait the appointment, which God had reserved to Himself (De 17:14-20).