1 Samuel 8:1

1 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.

1 Samuel 8:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:1

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old
The common notion of the Jews is, that he lived but fifty two years ^F20; when a man is not usually called an old man, unless the infirmities of old age came upon him sooner than they commonly do, through his indefatigable labours from his childhood, and the cares and burdens of government he had long bore; though some think he was about sixty years of age; and Abarbinel is of opinion that he was more than seventy. It is a rule with the Jews ^F21, that a man is called an old man at sixty, and a grey headed man at seventy:

that he made his sons judges over Israel;
under himself, not being able through old age to go the circuits he used; he sent them, and appointed them to hear and try causes in his stead, or settled them in some particular places in the land, and, as it seems by what follows, at Beersheba; though whether that was under his direction, or was their own choice, is not certain.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Seder Olam Rabba, ut supra. (c. 13. p. 35.)
F21 Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 21.

1 Samuel 8:1 In-Context

1 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.

2 Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba.

3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

4 Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel.

5 “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”