1 Samuel 8:7

7 God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King.

1 Samuel 8:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:7

And the Lord said unto Samuel
He appeared to him in a vision or dream, and by an articulate voice delivered to him what follows:

hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee;
not as approving of what they said, but permitting and allowing what they asked, as a punishment of them for their disloyalty and ingratitude, and as resenting their ill behaviour to him; for it was in anger he assented to their request, ( Hosea 13:11 )

for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me that I
should not reign over them;
most interpreters supply the word "only", as if the sense was, that they had not only rejected Samuel from judging them, but the Lord also from reigning over them; and which is spoken to comfort Samuel, and to alleviate the pressure on his mind for the ill treatment he had met with; for since they had served the Lord after this manner, it was no wonder he should be ill used, and might bear it with great patience: but I see no reason why the word may not be taken absolutely, that they had not rejected Samuel from all share in the government, at least from judging the people; for so he continued all the days of his life, even after they had a king over them; but they entirely rejected the sole and peculiar government of God over them.

1 Samuel 8:7 In-Context

5 They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else."

6 When Samuel heard their demand - "Give us a king to rule us!" - he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.

7 God answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King.

8 From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they're doing it to you.

9 So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they're likely to get from a king."