1 Samuel 8:14-22

14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants.

15 He will take one-tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and servants.

16 He will take your male and female servants, your best cattle, and your donkeys and use them all for his own work.

17 He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

18 When that time comes, you will cry out because of the king you chose. But the Lord will not answer you then."

19 But the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, "No! We want a king to rule over us.

20 Then we will be the same as all the other nations. Our king will judge for us and go with us and fight our battles."

21 After Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated their words to the Lord.

22 The Lord answered, "You must listen to them. Give them a king." Then Samuel told the people of Israel, "Go back to your towns."

1 Samuel 8:14-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 8

This chapter relates, how that Samuel being old, and his sons behaving ill, the people desired to have a king set over them, 1Sa 8:1-5, which case Samuel laid before the Lord, and he was directed by him to yield to the people's desire, but at the same time to set before them all the disadvantages and ill consequences that would arise from thence, which he did, 1Sa 8:6-18, but they insisting upon it, nevertheless, he gave them reason to expect that their request would be granted, 1Sa 8:19-22.