1 Samuel 8:16

16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[a] and donkeys he will take for his own use.

1 Samuel 8:16 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use.
The Message Bible (MSG)
16 Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use.
American Standard Version (ASV)
16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
16 He will take your male and female slaves, your best cattle, and your donkeys for his own use.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
16 He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
16 He will also take your male and female servants. He'll take your best cattle and donkeys. He'll use all of them any way he wants to.

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 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.
15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18 When 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.”

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Septuagint; Hebrew "young men"
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