1 Samuel 8:11-21

11 He said, "This is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and make soldiers of them - chariotry, cavalry, infantry,
12 regimented in battalions and squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury.
13 He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks.
14 He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.
15 He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy.
16 Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use.
17 He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves.
18 The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect God to answer."
19 But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule us!
20 Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles."
21 Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God.

1 Samuel 8:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 8

This chapter relates, how that Samuel being old, and his sons behaving ill, the people desired to have a king set over them, 1Sa 8:1-5, which case Samuel laid before the Lord, and he was directed by him to yield to the people's desire, but at the same time to set before them all the disadvantages and ill consequences that would arise from thence, which he did, 1Sa 8:6-18, but they insisting upon it, nevertheless, he gave them reason to expect that their request would be granted, 1Sa 8:19-22.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.