4 Then all the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 gathered themselves together, H6908 and came H935 to Samuel H8050 unto Ramah, H7414
And his return H8666 was to Ramah; H7414 for there was his house; H1004 and there he judged H8199 Israel; H3478 and there he built H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD. H3068
Go, H3212 and gather H622 the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 together, H622 and say H559 unto them, The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 of Isaac, H3327 and of Jacob, H3290 appeared H7200 unto me, saying, H559 I have surely H6485 visited H6485 you, and seen that which is done H6213 to you in Egypt: H4714
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 8
Commentary on 1 Samuel 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
Things went so very well with Israel, in the chapter before, under Samuel's administration, that, methinks, it is a pity to find him so quickly, as we do in this chapter, old, and going off, and things working towards a revolution. But so it is; Israel's good days seldom continue long. We have here,
Thus hard is it for people to know when they are well off.
1Sa 8:1-3
Two sad things we find here, but not strange things:-
1Sa 8:4-22
We have here the starting of a matter perfectly new and surprising, which was the setting up of kingly government in Israel. Perhaps the thing had been often talked of among them by those that were given to change and affected that which looked great. But we do not find that it was ever till now publicly proposed and debated. Abimelech was little better than a titular king, though he is said to reign over Israel (Judges 9:22), and perhaps his fall had for a great while rendered the title of king odious in Israel, as that of Tarquinius did among the Romans; but, if it had, by this time the odium was worn off, and some bold steps are here taken towards so great a revolution as that amounted to. Here is,