1 Samuel 8:1

Los israelitas piden un rey

1 Cuando Samuel entró en años, puso a sus hijos como gobernadores de 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 Cuando Samuel entró en años, puso a sus hijos como gobernadores de Israel,

2 con sede en Berseba. El hijo mayor se llamaba Joel, y el segundo, Abías.

3 Pero ninguno de los dos siguió el ejemplo de su padre, sino que ambos se dejaron guiar por la avaricia, aceptando sobornos y pervirtiendo la justicia.

4 Por eso se reunieron los ancianos de Israel y fueron a Ramá para hablar con Samuel.

5 Le dijeron: «Tú has envejecido ya, y tus hijos no siguen tu ejemplo. Mejor danos un rey que nos gobierne, como lo tienen todas las naciones».