1 Samuel 8:16

16 And he will take your bondmen, and your bondwomen, and your comeliest young men, and your asses, and use them for his work.

1 Samuel 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:16

And he will take your manservants, and your maidservants,
&c.] Into his own family, for his own use and service, if he wants them, or likes them better than what he has:

and your goodliest young men:
that are tall and lusty, comely and beautiful, of a proper stature and good aspect; and such in all countries used to be chosen for officers in courts, or attendants there; and so the Turks to this day pitch upon young men to attend on great personages, who are of a comely form, have admirable features, and are well shaped, (See Gill on Daniel 1:4),

and your asses, and put them to his work;
employ them in ploughing his fields, drawing his carriages, or bearing his burdens; and so any other cattle that would serve the same purposes, as oxen, camels

1 Samuel 8:16 In-Context

14 And your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best, will he take and give to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his chamberlains and to his servants.
16 And he will take your bondmen, and your bondwomen, and your comeliest young men, and your asses, and use them for his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep. And ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.