1 Samuel 8:11-21

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] will run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set them] to till his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters [to be] confectioneries, and [to be] cooks, and [to be] bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your most choice young men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye will be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

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.

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