1 Samuel 8:12

12 And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and his centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots.

1 Samuel 8:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 8:12

And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains
over fifties
Which though posts of honour, yet when they are not matter of choice, and especially being precarious, and depending on the arbitrary will of a prince, are not eligible, and less so to persons that choose another sort of life:

and [will set] them to ear his ground;
to plough it; not the same persons made captains of thousands and fifties, but others, whom he will employ in tilling and manuring his fields, and oblige them to it:

and to reap his harvest;
when it is ripe, and gather it in, and bring it home into his barns and garners:

and to make his instruments of war:
as swords, spears, bows and arrows, most commonly used in those times:

and instruments of chariots;
which seem to design chariots of war, and the iron spikes and scythes which were joined to them, to cut down the foot soldiers, when driven among them in battle, which are commonly called chariots of iron; see ( Joshua 17:16 ) ( Judges 4:3 ) .

1 Samuel 8:12 In-Context

10 Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,

11 And said: This will be the right of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horsemen, and his running footmen, to run before his chariots,

12 And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and his centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots.

13 Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants.