Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 1 Samuel » Chapter 8

1 Samuel 8:1-22 King James Version (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

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 shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear 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 confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, 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 menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; 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.

22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

1 Samuel 8:1-22 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel H8050 was old, H2204 that he made H7760 his sons H1121 judges H8199 over Israel. H3478

2 Now the name H8034 of his firstborn H1121 H1060 was Joel; H3100 and the name H8034 of his second, H4932 Abiah: H29 they were judges H8199 in Beersheba. H884

3 And his sons H1121 walked H1980 not in his ways, H1870 but turned aside H5186 after H310 lucre, H1215 and took H3947 bribes, H7810 and perverted H5186 judgment. H4941

4 Then all the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 gathered themselves together, H6908 and came H935 to Samuel H8050 unto Ramah, H7414

5 And said H559 unto him, Behold, thou art old, H2204 and thy sons H1121 walk H1980 not in thy ways: H1870 now make H7760 us a king H4428 to judge H8199 us like all the nations. H1471

6 But the thing H1697 displeased H3415 H5869 Samuel, H8050 when they said, H559 Give H5414 us a king H4428 to judge H8199 us. And Samuel H8050 prayed H6419 unto the LORD. H3068

7 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 Hearken H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the people H5971 in all that they say H559 unto thee: for they have not rejected H3988 thee, but they have rejected H3988 me, that I should not reign H4427 over them.

8 According to all the works H4639 which they have done H6213 since the day H3117 that I brought them up H5927 out of Egypt H4714 even unto this day, H3117 wherewith they have forsaken H5800 me, and served H5647 other H312 gods, H430 so do H6213 they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken H8085 unto their voice: H6963 howbeit H389 yet protest H5749 solemnly H5749 unto them, and shew H5046 them the manner H4941 of the king H4428 that shall reign H4427 over them.

10 And Samuel H8050 told H559 all the words H1697 of the LORD H3068 unto the people H5971 that asked H7592 of him a king. H4428

11 And he said, H559 This will be the manner H4941 of the king H4428 that shall reign H4427 over you: He will take H3947 your sons, H1121 and appoint H7760 them for himself, for his chariots, H4818 and to be his horsemen; H6571 and some shall run H7323 before H6440 his chariots. H4818

12 And he will appoint H7760 him captains H8269 over thousands, H505 and captains H8269 over fifties; H2572 and will set them to ear H2790 his ground, H2758 and to reap H7114 his harvest, H7105 and to make H6213 his instruments H3627 of war, H4421 and instruments H3627 of his chariots. H7393

13 And he will take H3947 your daughters H1323 to be confectionaries, H7548 and to be cooks, H2879 and to be bakers. H644

14 And he will take H3947 your fields, H7704 and your vineyards, H3754 and your oliveyards, H2132 even the best H2896 of them, and give H5414 them to his servants. H5650

15 And he will take the tenth H6237 of your seed, H2233 and of your vineyards, H3754 and give H5414 to his officers, H5631 and to his servants. H5650

16 And he will take H3947 your menservants, H5650 and your maidservants, H8198 and your goodliest H2896 young men, H970 and your asses, H2543 and put H6213 them to his work. H4399

17 He will take the tenth H6237 of your sheep: H6629 and ye shall be his servants. H5650

18 And ye shall cry out H2199 in that day H3117 because H6440 of your king H4428 which ye shall have chosen H977 you; and the LORD H3068 will not hear H6030 you in that day. H3117

19 Nevertheless the people H5971 refused H3985 to obey H8085 the voice H6963 of Samuel; H8050 and they said, H559 Nay; but we will have a king H4428 over us;

20 That we also may be like all the nations; H1471 and that our king H4428 may judge H8199 us, and go out H3318 before H6440 us, and fight H3898 our battles. H4421

21 And Samuel H8050 heard H8085 all the words H1697 of the people, H5971 and he rehearsed H1696 them in the ears H241 of the LORD. H3068

22 And the LORD H3068 said H559 to Samuel, H8050 Hearken H8085 unto their voice, H6963 and make H4427 them a king. H4428 And Samuel H8050 said H559 unto the men H582 of Israel, H3478 Go H3212 ye every man H376 unto his city. H5892

1 Samuel 8:1-22 American Standard (ASV)

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;

5 and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.

7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the people that asked of him a king.

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 unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

12 and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and `he will set some' to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, 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 goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: 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 Jehovah.

22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

1 Samuel 8:1-22 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel `is' aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel.

2 And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba:

3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.

4 And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath,

5 and say unto him, `Lo, thou hast become aged, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways; now, appoint to us a king, to judge us, like all the nations.'

6 And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, `Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah.

7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Hearken to the voice of the people, to all that they say unto thee, for thee they have not rejected, but Me they have rejected, from reigning over them.

8 According to all the works that they have done from the day of My bringing them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods -- so they are doing also to thee.

9 And now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.'

10 And Samuel speaketh all the words of Jehovah unto the people who are asking from him a king,

11 and saith, `This is the custom of the king who doth reign over you: Your sons he doth take, and hath appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots;

12 also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer.

13 `And your daughters he doth take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers;

14 and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards -- the best -- he doth take, and hath given to his servants.

15 And your seed and your vineyards he doth tithe, and hath given to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

16 And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your young men -- the best, and your asses, he doth take, and hath prepared for his own work;

17 your flock he doth tithe, and ye are to him for servants.

18 And ye have cried out in that day because of the king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah doth not answer you in that day.'

19 And the people refuse to hearken to the voice of Samuel, and say, `Nay, but a king is over us,

20 and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king hath judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.'

21 And Samuel heareth all the words of the people, and speaketh them in the ears of Jehovah;

22 and Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Hearken to their voice, and thou hast caused to reign over them a king.' And Samuel saith unto the men of Israel, `Go ye each to his city.'

1 Samuel 8:1-22 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 And the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they judged in Beer-sheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah,

5 and said to him, Behold, thou art become old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now appoint us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

6 And the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.

7 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the deeds that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 And now hearken unto their voice; only, testify solemnly unto them, and declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel spoke all the words of Jehovah to the people that asked of him a king.

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, on his chariot and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;

12 and [he will take them] that he may appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and that they may plough his ground, and reap his harvest, and make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters for perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.

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

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his chamberlains and to his servants.

16 And he will take your bondmen, and your bondwomen, and your comeliest young men, and your asses, and use them for his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep. And ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

19 And the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but there shall be a king over us,

20 that we also may be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and conduct our wars.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah.

22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.

1 Samuel 8:1-22 World English Bible (WEB)

1 It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba.

3 His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;

5 and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh.

7 Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you.

9 Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.

10 Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king.

11 He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

12 and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 He will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.

18 You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.

19 But the people refused to listen to 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 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh.

22 Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.

1 Samuel 8:1-22 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 The name of his first son was Joel and the name of his second Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.

4 Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah,

5 And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations.

6 But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them.

8 As they have done from the first, from the day when I took them out of Egypt till this day, turning away from me and worshipping other gods, so now they are acting in the same way to you.

9 Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.

10 And Samuel said all these words of the Lord to the people who were desiring a king.

11 And he said, This is the sort of king who will be your ruler: he will take your sons and make them his servants, his horsemen, and drivers of his war-carriages, and they will go running before his war-carriages;

12 And he will make them captains of thousands and of fifties; some he will put to work ploughing and cutting his grain and making his instruments of war and building his war-carriages.

13 Your daughters he will take to be makers of perfumes and cooks and bread-makers.

14 He will take your fields and your vine-gardens and your olive-gardens, all the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of the fruit of your vines and give it to his servants.

16 He will take your men-servants and your servant-girls, and the best of your oxen and your asses and put them to his work.

17 He will take a tenth of your sheep: and you will be his servants.

18 Then you will be crying out because of your king whom you have taken for yourselves; but the Lord will not give you an answer in that day.

19 But the people gave no attention to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us,

20 So that we may be like the other nations, and so that our king may be our judge and go out before us to war.

21 Then Samuel, after hearing all the people had to say, went and gave an account of it to the Lord.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 8

Commentary on 1 Samuel 8 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 8

Things went so very well with Israel, in the chapter before, under Samuel's administration, that, methinks, it is a pity to find him so quickly, as we do in this chapter, old, and going off, and things working towards a revolution. But so it is; Israel's good days seldom continue long. We have here,

  • I. Samuel decaying (v. 1).
  • II. His sons degenerating (v. 2, 3).
  • III. Israel discontented with the present government and anxious to see a change. For
    • 1. They petition Samuel to set a king over them (v. 4, 5).
    • 2. Samuel brings the matter to God (v. 6).
    • 3. God directs him what answer to give them, by way of reproof (v. 7, 8), and by way of remonstrance, setting forth the consequences of a change of the government, and how uneasy they would soon be under it (v. 9-18).
    • 4. They insist upon their petition (v. 19, 20).
    • 5. Samuel promises them, from God, that they shall shortly be gratified (v. 21, 22).

Thus hard is it for people to know when they are well off.

1Sa 8:1-3

Two sad things we find here, but not strange things:-

  • 1. A good and useful man growing old and unfit for service (v. 1): Samuel was old, and could not judge Israel, as he had done. He is not reckoned to be past sixty years of age now, perhaps not so much; but he was a man betimes, was full of thoughts and cared when he was a child, which perhaps hastened the infirmities of age upon him. The fruits that are the first ripe keep the worst. He had spent his strength and spirits in the fatigue of public business, and now, if he think to shake himself as at other times, he finds he is mistaken: old age has cut his hair. Those that are in the prime of their time ought to be busy in doing the work of life: for, as they go into years, they will find themselves less disposed to it and less able for it.
  • 2. The children of a good man turning aside, and not treading in his steps. Samuel had given his sons so good an education, and they had given him such good hopes of their doing well, and gained such a reputation in Israel, that he made them judges, assistants to him awhile, and afterwards deputies under him at Beersheeba, which lay remote from Ramah, v. 2. Probably the southern countries petitioned for their residence there, that they might not be necessitated to travel far with their causes. We have reason to think that Samuel gave them their commissions, not because they were his sons (he had no ambition to entail the government upon his family, any more than Gideon had), but because, for aught that yet appeared, they were men very fit for the trust; and none so proper to ease the aged judge, and take some of the burden off him, as (coeteris paribus-other things being equal) his own sons, who no doubt were respected for their good father's sake, and, having such an advantage at setting out, might soon have been great if they had but been good. But, alas! his sons walked not in his ways (v. 3), and, when their character was the reverse of his, their relation to so good a man, which otherwise would have been their honour, was really their disgrace. Degeneranti genus opprobrium-A good extraction is a reproach to him that degenerates from it. Note, Those that have the most grace themselves cannot give grace to their children. It has often been the grief of good men to see their posterity, instead of treading in their steps, trampling upon them, and, as Job speaks, marring their path. Nay, many that have begun well, promised fair, and set out in the right path, so that their parents and friends have had great hopes of them, yet afterwards have turned aside to by-paths, and been the grief of those of whom they should have been the joy. When Samuel's sons were made judges, and settled at a distance form him, then they discovered themselves. Thus,
    • (1.) Many that have been well educated, and have conducted themselves well while they were under their parents' eye, when they have gone abroad into the world and set up for themselves have proved bad. Let none therefore be secure either of themselves or theirs, but depend on divine grace.
    • (2.) Many that have done well in a state of meanness and subjection have been spoiled by preferment and power. Honours change men's minds, and too often for the worse. It does not appear that Samuel's sons were so profane and vicious as Eli's sons; but, whatever they were in other respects, they were corrupt judges, they turned aside after lucre, after the mammon of unrighteousness, so the Chaldee reads it. Note, The love of money is the root of all evil. It is pernicious in any, but especially in judges. Samuel had taken no bribes (ch. 12:3), but his sons had, though, no doubt, he warned them against it when he made them judges; and then they perverted judgment. In determining controversies, they had an eye to the bribe, not to the law, and enquired who bid highest, not who had right on his side. It is sad with a people when the public justice that should do them right, being perverted, does them the greatest wrong.

1Sa 8:4-22

We have here the starting of a matter perfectly new and surprising, which was the setting up of kingly government in Israel. Perhaps the thing had been often talked of among them by those that were given to change and affected that which looked great. But we do not find that it was ever till now publicly proposed and debated. Abimelech was little better than a titular king, though he is said to reign over Israel (Judges 9:22), and perhaps his fall had for a great while rendered the title of king odious in Israel, as that of Tarquinius did among the Romans; but, if it had, by this time the odium was worn off, and some bold steps are here taken towards so great a revolution as that amounted to. Here is,

  • I. The address of the elders to Samuel in this matter (v. 4, 5): They gathered themselves together, by common consent; and not in a riotous tumultuous manner, but with the respect due to his character, they came to him to his house as Ramah with their address, which contained,
    • 1. A remonstrance of their grievances: in short, Thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Many a fairer occasion that people had had to ask a king, when they were oppressed by their neighbours or embroiled at home for want of a king in Israel, but a small thing will serve factious spirits for a colour to desire a change.
      • (1.) It was true that Samuel was old; but if that made him less able to ride the circuit, and sit long on the bench, yet it made him the more wise and experienced, and, upon that account, the fitter to rule. If he was old, had he not grown old in their service? And it was very unkind, ungrateful, nay, and unjust, to cast him off when he was old, who had spent his days in doing them good. God had saved his youth from being despicable (ch. 3:20), yet they make his old age so, which should have been counted worthy of double honour. If old people be upbraided with their infirmities, and laid aside for them, let them not think it strange; Samuel himself was so.
      • (2.) It was true that his sons did not walk in his ways; the more was his grief, but they could not say it was his fault: he had not, like Eli, indulged them in their badness, but was ready to receive complaints against them. And, if that had been the thing desired, we may well suppose, upon the making out of the charge of bribery against them he would have superseded their commissions and punished them. But this would not content the elders of Israel; they had another project in their head.
    • 2. A petition for the redress of these grievances, by setting a king over them: Make us a king to judge us like all the nations. Thus far it was well, that they did not rise up in rebellion against Samuel and set up a king for themselves, vi et armis-by force; but they applied to Samuel, God's prophet, and humbly begged of him to do it. But it appears by what follows that it was an evil proposal and ill made, and was displeasing to God. God designed them a king, a man after his own heart, when Samuel was dead; but they would anticipate God's counsel, and would have one now that Samuel was old. They had a prophet to judge them, that had immediate correspondence with heaven, and therein they were great and happy above any nation, none having God so nigh unto them as they had, Deu. 4:7. But this would not serve; they must have a king to judge them with external pomp and power, like all the nations. A poor prophet in a mantle, though conversant in the visions of the Almighty, looked mean in the eyes of those who judged by outward appearance; but a king in a purple robe, with his guards and officers of state, would look great: and such a one they must have. They knew it was in vain to court Samuel to take upon him the title and dignity of a king, but he must appoint them one. They do not say, "Give us a king that is wise and good, and will judge better than thy sons do,' but, "Give us a king,' any body that will but make a figure. Thus foolishly did they forsake their own mercies, and, under pretence of advancing the dignity of their nation to that of their neighbours, did really thrust themselves down from their own excellency, and profane their crown by casting it to the ground.
  • II. Samuel's resentment of this address, v. 6. Let us see how he took it.
    • 1. It cut him to the heart. Probably it was a surprise to him, and he had not any intimation before of their design, which made it the more grievous. The thing displeased Samuel; not when they upbraided him with his own infirmities and his children's irregularities (he could patiently bear what reflected on himself and his own family), but it displeased him when they said, Give us a king to judge us, because that reflected upon God and his honour.
    • 2. It drove him to his knees; he gave them no answer for the present, but took time to consider of what they proposed, and prayed unto the Lord for direction what to do, spreading the case before him and leaving it with him, and so making himself easy. Samuel was a man much in prayer, and we are encouraged in every thing to make our requests known to God, Phil. 4:6. When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well as our duty, to show before God our trouble, and he gives us leave to be humbly free with him.
  • III. The instruction God gave him concerning this matter. Those that in straits seek to God shall find him nigh unto them, and ready to direct them. He tells him,
    • 1. That which would be an allay to his displeasure. Samuel was much disturbed at the proposal: it troubled him greatly to see his prophetic office thus slighted, and all the good turns he had done to Israel thus ungratefully returned; but God tells him he must not think it either hard or strange.
      • (1.) He must not think it hard that they had put this slight upon him, for they had herein put a slight upon God himself: "They have not rejected thee only, but they have rejected me. I share with thee in the affront,' v. 7. Note, If God interest himself in the indignities that are done us, and the contempts that are put upon us, we may well afford to bear them patiently; nor need we think the worse of ourselves if for his sake we bear reproach (Ps. 69:7), but rather rejoice and count it an honour, Col. 1:24. Samuel must not complain that they were weary of his government, though just and gentle, for really they were weary of God's government; this was what they disliked: They have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. God reigns over the heathen (Ps. 47:8), over all the world, but the government of Israel had hitherto been, in a more peculiar manner than ever any government was, a Theocracy, a divine government; their judges had their call and commission immediately from God; the affairs of their nation were under his peculiar direction. As the constitution, so the administration of their government, was by Thus saith the Lord; this method they were weary of, though it was their honour and safety, above any thing, so long as they kept in with God. They were indeed so much the more exposed to calamities if they provoked God to anger by sin, and found they could not transgress at so cheap a rate as other nations could, which perhaps was the true reason why they desired to stand upon the same terms with God that other nations did.
      • (2.) He must not think it strange, nor marvel at the matter, for they do as they always have done: According to all the works which they have done, since the day that I brought them out of Egypt, so do they unto thee, v. 8; They had at first been so very respectful and obsequious to Samuel that he began to hope they were cured of their old stubborn disposition; but now he found himself deceived in them, and must not be surprised at it. They had always been rude to their governors, witness Moses and Aaron; nay, They have forsaken me and served other gods; the greatness of their crime, in affecting new gods, may make this crime of affecting new governors seem little. Samuel might expect they would deal treacherously, for they were called transgressors from the womb, Isa. 48:8. This had been their manner from their youth up, Jer. 22:21.
    • 2. He tells him that which would be an answer to their demand. Samuel would not have known what to say if God had not instructed him. Should he oppose the motion, it would bespeak a greater fondness of power and dominion than did become a prophet, and an indulgence of his sons. Should he yield to the motion, it would look like the betraying of his trust, and he would become accessory to all the bad consequences of a change. Aaron sinned in gratifying the people when they said, Make us gods; Samuel dares not therefore comply with them when they say, Make us a king, but he gives them, with assurance, the answer God sent them.
      • (1.) He must tell them that they shall have a king. Hearken to the voice of the people, v. 7, and again, v. 9. Not that God was pleased with their request, but, as sometimes he crosses us in love, so at other times he gratifies us in wrath; he did so here. When they said, Give us a king and princes he gave them a king in his anger (see Hos. 13:10, 11), as he gave them quails, Ps. 106:15; 78:29. God bade Samuel humour them in this matter,
        • [1.] That they might be beaten with their own rod, and might feel, to their cost, the difference between his government and the government of a king; see 2 Chr. 12:8. It soon appeared how much worse their condition was, in all respects, under Saul, than it had been under Samuel.
        • [2.] To prevent something worse. If they were not gratified, they would either rise in rebellion against Samuel or universally revolt from their religion and admit the gods of the nations, that they might have kings like them. Rather than so, let them have a king.
        • [3.] God knows how to bring glory to himself out of it, and to serve his own wise purposes even by their foolish counsels.
      • (2.) But he must tell them, withal, that when they have a king they will soon have enough of him, and will, when it is too late, repent of their choice. This he must protest solemnly to them (v. 9), that, if they would have a king to rule them, as the eastern kings ruled their subjects, they would find the yoke exceedingly heavy. They looked only at the pomp or magnificence of a king, and thought that would make their nation great and considerable among its neighbours, and would strike a terror upon their enemies; but he must bid them consider how they would like to bear the charges of that pomp, and how they would endure that arbitrary power which the neighbouring kings assumed. Note, Those that set their hearts inordinately upon any thing in this world ought, for the moderating of their desires, to consider the inconveniences as well as the conveniences that will attend it, and to set the one over against the other in their thoughts. Those that submit to the government of the world and the flesh are told plainly what hard masters they are, and what a tyranny the dominion of sin is; and yet they will exchange God's government for it.
  • IV. Samuel's faithful delivery of God's mind to them, v. 10. He told them all the words of the Lord, how ill he resented it, that he construed it a rejecting of him, and compared it with their serving other gods,-that he would grant their request if they insisted on it, but withal had ordered him to represent to them the certain consequences of their choice, that they would be such that if they had any reason left them, and would allow themselves to consult their own interest, they would withdraw their petition, and beg to continue as they were. Accordingly he lays before them, very particularly, what would be, not the right of a king in general, but the manner of the king that should reign over them, according to the pattern of the nations, v. 11. Samuel does not speak (as bishop Patrick expounds it) of a just and honest right of a king to do these things, for his right is quite otherwise described in that part of Moses's law which concerns the king's duty, but such a right as the kings of the nations had then acquired. This shall be the manner of the king, that is, "thus he must support his dignity at the expense of that which is dearest to you, and thus he will abuse his power, as those that have power are apt to do; and, having the militia in his hand, you will be under a necessity of submitting to him.'
    • 1. If they will have such a king as the nations have, let them consider,
      • (1.) That king must have a great retinue, abundance of servants to wait on him, grooms to look after his chariots and horses, gentlemen to ride about with him, and footmen to run before his chariots. This is the chief grandeur of princes, and the imaginary glory of great men, to have a multitude of attendants. And whence must he have these? "Why, he will take your sons, who are free-born, have a liberal education, and whom you now have at your own disposal, and will appoint them for himself,' v. 11. They must wait upon him, and be at his beck; those that used to work for their parents and themselves must work for him, ear his ground, and reap his harvest (v. 12), and count it their preferment too, v. 16. This would be a great change.
      • (2.) He must keep a great table; he will not be content to dine with his neighbours upon a sacrifice, as Samuel used to do (ch. 9:13); but he must have a variety of dainty dishes, forced meats, and sweet-meats, and delicate sauces; and who must prepare him these? "Why, he will take your daughters, the most ingenious and handy of them, whom you hoped to prefer to houses and tables of their own; and, whether you be willing or no, they must be his confectioners, and cooks, and bakers, and the like.'
      • (3.) "He must needs have a standing army, for guards and garrisons; and your sons, instead of being elders of your cities, and living in quiet and honour at home, must be captains over thousands and captains over fifties, and must be disposed of at the pleasure of the sovereign.'
      • (4.) "You may expect that he will have great favourites, whom, having dignified and ennobled, he must enrich, and give them estates suitable to their honour; and which way can he do that, but out of your inheritances? v. 14. He will take your fields and vineyards, which descended to you from your ancestors, and which you hoped to leave to your posterity after you, even the best of them; and will not only take them to himself (you could bear that better), but he will give them to his servants, who will be your masters, and bear rule over that for which you have laboured, How will you like that?'
      • (5.) "He must have great revenues to maintain his grandeur and power with; and whence must he have them but from you? He will take the tenth of the fruits of your ground (v. 15), and your cattle, v. 17. You think the tenths, the double tenths, which the law of God has appointed for the support of the church, grievous enough, and grudge the payment of them; but, if you have a king, there must issue another tenth out of your estates, which will be levied with more rigour, for the support of the royal dignity. Consider the expense with the magnificence, and whether it will quit cost.'
    • 2. These would be their grievances, and,
      • (1.) They would have none but God to complain to. Once they complained to the prince himself, and were answered, according to the manner of the king, Your yoke is heavy, and I will add to it, 1 Ki. 12:11.
      • (2.) When they complained to God he would not hear them, v. 18. Nor could they expect that he should, both because they had been deaf to his calls and admonitions, and this trouble, in particular, they had brought upon themselves by rejecting him, and would not believe when he told them what would come of it. Note, When we bring ourselves into distress by our own irregular desires and projects we justly forfeit the comfort of prayer and the benefit of divine aids, and, if God be not better to us than we deserve, must have our relief in our own hands, and then it is bad with us.
  • V. The people's obstinacy in their demand, v. 19, 20. One would think such a representation of the consequences as this was, coming from God himself, who can neither deceive by his word nor be deceived in his knowledge, should have prevailed with them to waive their request: but their hearts were upon it, right or wrong, good or evil: "We will have a king over us, whatever God or Samuel say to the contrary; we will have a king, whatever it cost us, and whatever inconvenience we bring upon ourselves or our posterity by it.' See their folly.
    • 1. They were quite deaf to reason and blind to their own interest. They could not answer Samuel's arguments against it, nor deny the force of them, and yet they grow more violent in their request, and more insolent. Before it was, "Pray, make us a king;' now it is, "Nay, but we will have a king; yea, that we will, because we will; nor will we bear to have any thing said against it.' See the absurdity of inordinate desires, and how they rob men of their reason.
    • 2. They could not stay God's time. God had intimated to them in the law that, in due time, Israel should have a king (Deu. 17:14, 15), and perhaps they had some intimation that the time was at hand; but they are all in haste: "We, in our day, will have this king over us.' Could they but have waited ten or twelve years longer they would have had David, a king of God's giving in mercy, and all the calamities that attended the setting up of Saul would have been prevented. Sudden resolves and hasty desires make work for a long and leisurely repentance.
    • 3. That which they aimed at in desiring a king was not only, as before, that they might be like the nations, and levelled with the one above whom God had so far advanced them, but that they might have one to judge them, and to go out before them when they took the field, and to fight their battles. Foolish people and unwise! Could they ever desire a battle better fought for them that the last was, by Samuel's prayer and God's thunder? ch. 7:10. Was victory hereby too sure to them? And were they fond of trying the chance of war at the same uncertainty that others did? So sick, it seems, were they of their privileges: and what was the issue? Their first king was slain in a battle, which none of their judges ever were; so was Josiah, one of the last and best.
  • VI. The dismissing of them with an intimation that very shortly they should have what they asked.
    • 1. Samuel rehearsed all their words in the ears of the Lord, v. 21. Not but that God perfectly knew it, without Samuel's report; but thus he dealt faithfully between God and Israel, as a prophet, returning the answer to him that sent him; and thus he waited on God for further direction. God is fully acquainted with the state of the case we are in care and doubt about, but he will know it from us. His rehearsing it in the ears of the Lord intimates that it was done in private; for the people were not disposed to join with him in prayer to God for direction in this matter; also it bespeaks a holy familiarity, to which God graciously admits his people: they speak in the ears of the Lord, as one friend whispers with another; their communion with God is meat they have to eat which the world knows not of, Jn. 4:32.
    • 2. God gave direction that they should have a king, since they were so inordinately set upon it (v. 22): "Make them a king, and let them make their best of him, and thank themselves if that very pomp and power which they are so eager to see their sovereign in be their plague and burden.' So he gave them up to their own hearts' lusts. Samuel told them this, but sent them home for the present, every man to his city; for the designation of the person must be left to God; they had now no more to do. When God saw fit to notify the choice to Samuel they should hear further from him; in the mean time let them keep the peace and expect the issue.