1 Samuel 8:3-13

3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways ¹but turned aside after gain. ²They took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ³Ramah

5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. ⁴Now appoint for 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 to the Lord.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, ⁵for they have not rejected you, ⁶but they have rejected me from being king over them.

8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.

9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them ⁷and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. ”

Samuel’s Warning Against Kings

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him.

11 He said, ⁸“These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: ⁹he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some ¹⁰to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.

1 Samuel 8:3-13 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.

Cross References

• 1. 8:3 [Ex. 18:21]
• 2. 8:3 [Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19; Ps. 15:5]
• 3. 8:4 [See ch. 7:17 above]
• 4. 8:5 ver. 19, 20; [Deut. 17:14; Hos. 13:10; Acts 13:21]
• 5. 8:7 [Ex. 16:8]
• 6. 8:7 ch. 10:19
• 7. 8:9 See ver. 11-18
• 8. 8:11 ch. 10:25; See Deut. 17:16-20
• 9. 8:11 ch. 14:52
• 10. 8:12 See Gen. 45:6