1 Samuel 8:17

17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you [yourselves] will become his servants.

1 Samuel 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:17

He will take the tenth of your sheep
As well as of their seed and vineyards; and not the tithe of their flocks only, but of their herds also, which are here included, as Kimchi observes:

and ye shall be his servants:
made slaves of by him, even as the Canaanitish servants were, according to Abarbinel; though others interpret it more mildly of their being obliged to pay tribute and taxes, for the support of his government.

1 Samuel 8:17 In-Context

15 He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give [it] to his high officials and to his servants.

16 He will take your male slaves and your female slaves and the best of your young men and your donkeys and {will use them for his projects}.

17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you [yourselves] will become his servants.

18 So you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but Yahweh will not answer you on that day!"

19 However, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel and they said, "No, but there must be a king over us,

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)