1 Samuel 8:3

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after gain, they took bribes, and they perverted justice.

1 Samuel 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:3

And his sons walked not in his ways
The meaning of which is not that they did not go the circuit he did, which is too low a sense of the words some Jewish writers give; but they did not walk in the fear of God, in the paths of religion and righteousness, truth and holiness; they neither served God, nor did justice to men, as Samuel had done:

but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment;
indulged to covetousness, sought to get riches at any rate, took bribes, which blind the eyes of judges; and so passed wrong judgment, and gave the cause to those that gave the largest gifts, right or wrong.

1 Samuel 8:3 In-Context

1 When Samuel grew old he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

2 The name of his firstborn son [was] Joel, and the name of his second son [was] Abijah. [They were] judges in Beersheba.

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after gain, they took bribes, and they perverted justice.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.

5 They said to him, "Look, you are old and your sons do not follow in your ways. So then appoint a king for us to judge us, like all the nations.