The First Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 8 -

(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.

But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.

Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.

And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”

And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.(a)

In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.

Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”(b)

Samuel’s Warning

And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.

And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.

And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.

Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.

Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.

Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.

Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.

Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.

And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”

God Grants the Request

But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,

and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them to the ears of the Lord.

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”

Footnotes

(a)8:7 Rejected, etc:The government of Israel hitherto had been a theocracy, in which God himself immediately ruled, by laws which he had enacted, and by judges extraordinarily raised up by himself; and therefore he complains that his people rejected him, in desiring a change of government.(Challoner)

(b)8:9 The right:That is, the manner (misphat) after which he shall proceed, having no one to control him, when he has the power in his hand.(Challoner)

(Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

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

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.”

But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.

The LORD 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 as the king over them.

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 they also do to you.

Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”

Samuel’s Warning

Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked him for a king.

He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots.

He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest; and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots.

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

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

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

He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.

He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.

You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

God Grants the Request

But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,

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.”

Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.”