1 Samuel 8:1

1 Y ACONTECIO que habiendo Samuel envejecido, puso sus hijos por jueces sobre 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 Y ACONTECIO que habiendo Samuel envejecido, puso sus hijos por jueces sobre Israel.

2 Y el nombre de su hijo primogénito fué Joel, y el nombre del segundo, Abia: fueron jueces en Beer-sebah.

3 Mas no anduvieron los hijos por los caminos de su padre, antes se ladearon tras la avaricia, recibiendo cohecho y pervirtiendo el derecho.

4 Entonces todos los ancianos de Israel se juntaron, y vinieron á Samuel en Rama,

5 Y dijéronle: He aquí tú has envejecido, y tus hijos no van por tus caminos: por tanto, constitúyenos ahora un rey que nos juzgue, como todas las gentes.