American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
1 Samuel 8
1
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Timothy 5:21
2
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
People
3
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
Reference
Judgment
Deuteronomy 16:19
2 Samuel 15:4
Parallel theme
Psalm 15:5
1 Timothy 6:10
Exodus 23:8
Exodus 18:21
Isaiah 33:15
1 Timothy 3:3
Ecclesiastes 2:19
4
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah,
Reference
References Israel
1 Samuel 7:17
5
And said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not 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. And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
Reference
7
And the LORD said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you: for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Samuel 10:19
Luke 19:27
Luke 19:14
Parallel theme
Matthew 10:40
Luke 10:16
Isaiah 66:4
Numbers 22:20
References Lord
Exodus 16:8
John 13:16
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, with which they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you.
Reference
References God
Exodus 32:1
9
Now therefore listen to their voice: however, yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
Reference
10
And Samuel told all the words of the LORD 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, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
Reference
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 olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
Reference
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 best young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17
He will take the tenth of your sheep: and you shall be his servants.
18
And you shall cry out in that day because of your king which you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
Reference
19
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us;
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 44:16
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.
Reference
Judgment
1 Samuel 8:5
21
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
Reference
Word
Judges 11:11
Summary of 1 Samuel 8
1 Samuel chapter 8 introduces a turning point in the history of Israel. Samuel is growing old and the people are asking for a king to rule over them. What the people want to achieve is not simply new leadership, but that they want to be like the surrounding nations. God tells Samuel to answer the people, but adds that their request means they reject his rule over them. Samuel warns them about the price of a human king, but they remain adamant.
When Samuel becomes old, he sets his sons to judge Israel.
The names of Samuel's sons are Joel and Abiah, and they are judges in Beersheba.
However, Samuel's sons do not follow his example. They run after dishonest gain, accept bribes, and distort judgment.
The elders of Israel become concerned about the future.
They meet together and come to Samuel at Ramah telling him that he is old and that his sons do not walk in his ways.
Then they make their request.
They want Samuel to give them a king to judge them like all the other nations.
Samuel is displeased with their request and goes to the Lord in prayer.
God tells Samuel to answer the people and give them what they ask for. He explains however why their request is so serious.
The Lord tells Samuel that the people have not simply rejected Samuel, but that they have rejected God from being their king.
This is an important point in the chapter, for Israel already has a King. God has been leading the nation since the time of Moses and Joshua. The people want a human ruler who will give them the same political structure they see among other nations.
God also tells Samuel that this is part of a pattern. Since the day God brought Israel out of Egypt, the people have repeatedly forsaken Him and served other gods.
Samuel is therefore instructed to listen to their request but he must also warn them about what a king will do.
Samuel gathers the people and explains the consequences.
A king will take their sons and use them for his own purposes. Some will serve in his army. Others will work with his chariots and horses. Some will make weapons and equipment for war.
The king will also take their daughters to serve in his household. They may become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
The king will take the best of their fields, vineyards, and olive gardens and give them to his servants.
He will take a portion of their crops and vineyards.
He will also take their servants, their young men, their animals, and a portion of what they own.
Samuel's warning is meant to show the people that having a king will come with a price.
They are asking for a ruler, but that ruler will have authority over their property, families, labour, and resources.
Samuel tells them that there will come a time when they will cry out because of the king they have chosen. But the Lord will not answer them at that time.
The people hear Samuel's warning, but refuse to change their request. They insist that they want a king, and that they want to be like the nations around them. They want a king to judge them, go before them, and fight their battles. Their words reveal what they believe a king will provide. They want visible leadership, military strength, and a national structure similar to the surrounding nations.
Samuel brings their answer back to the Lord. God tells him to listen to them and make them a king. Samuel then sends the people back to their cities. The chapter ends before the identity of the new king is revealed. This will happen in the next chapter when Saul is introduced.
The request for a king is one of the most important moments in 1 Samuel. Israel's problem is not simply that the people want an organized government. The deeper problem is their reason for wanting it, for they want to be like the nations around them.
God had already been their King. He had delivered them from Egypt, lead them through the wilderness, given them the land, and raised judges when they needed deliverance. Yet the people wanted something they could see and organize around.
Their request also comes after a period of peace under Samuel. The previous chapter describes how God gave Israel victory over the Philistines after the people repented and turned back to Him. Chapter 8 shows that even after this spiritual renewal, the people still want a different kind of security.
There is also a practical reason behind their concern. Samuel is old, and his sons are corrupt judges. The elders are right to recognize that Samuel's sons are not suitable leaders. Their concern about succession is understandable.
However, instead of asking God to provide the right leadership, they demand a king like the nations.
This distinction is important, for the chapter does not say that every form of kingship is wrong. God allows Israel to have a king and later establishes David as king. The problem is the attitude behind this particular request and the desire to replace trust in God's rule with confidence in a human ruler.
Samuel's warning about the king also gives an honest description of political power. A king may protect a nation, lead its armies, and provide stability, but he can also demand taxes, property, labour, and military service.
The people hear the warning and still choose the monarchy.
God allows their decision.
This shows that God sometimes allows people to choose a path even when He has warned them about its consequences. His willingness to allow their request does not mean that their motives were right.
The chapter prepares the reader for the rise of Saul. Israel will soon have the king it demanded. The story will show the strengths and serious weaknesses of human leadership.
1 Samuel chapter 8 therefore stands at the beginning of Israel's monarchy. Samuel's leadership is coming toward its later years, his sons have failed as judges, and the people demand a king. God allows their request but warns them about the cost. The central issue is not simply whether Israel should have a king, but whether the people will continue to trust God as their true King while living under human leadership.
When Samuel becomes old, he sets his sons to judge Israel.
The names of Samuel's sons are Joel and Abiah, and they are judges in Beersheba.
However, Samuel's sons do not follow his example. They run after dishonest gain, accept bribes, and distort judgment.
The elders of Israel become concerned about the future.
They meet together and come to Samuel at Ramah telling him that he is old and that his sons do not walk in his ways.
Then they make their request.
They want Samuel to give them a king to judge them like all the other nations.
Samuel is displeased with their request and goes to the Lord in prayer.
God tells Samuel to answer the people and give them what they ask for. He explains however why their request is so serious.
The Lord tells Samuel that the people have not simply rejected Samuel, but that they have rejected God from being their king.
This is an important point in the chapter, for Israel already has a King. God has been leading the nation since the time of Moses and Joshua. The people want a human ruler who will give them the same political structure they see among other nations.
God also tells Samuel that this is part of a pattern. Since the day God brought Israel out of Egypt, the people have repeatedly forsaken Him and served other gods.
Samuel is therefore instructed to listen to their request but he must also warn them about what a king will do.
Samuel gathers the people and explains the consequences.
A king will take their sons and use them for his own purposes. Some will serve in his army. Others will work with his chariots and horses. Some will make weapons and equipment for war.
The king will also take their daughters to serve in his household. They may become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
The king will take the best of their fields, vineyards, and olive gardens and give them to his servants.
He will take a portion of their crops and vineyards.
He will also take their servants, their young men, their animals, and a portion of what they own.
Samuel's warning is meant to show the people that having a king will come with a price.
They are asking for a ruler, but that ruler will have authority over their property, families, labour, and resources.
Samuel tells them that there will come a time when they will cry out because of the king they have chosen. But the Lord will not answer them at that time.
The people hear Samuel's warning, but refuse to change their request. They insist that they want a king, and that they want to be like the nations around them. They want a king to judge them, go before them, and fight their battles. Their words reveal what they believe a king will provide. They want visible leadership, military strength, and a national structure similar to the surrounding nations.
Samuel brings their answer back to the Lord. God tells him to listen to them and make them a king. Samuel then sends the people back to their cities. The chapter ends before the identity of the new king is revealed. This will happen in the next chapter when Saul is introduced.
The request for a king is one of the most important moments in 1 Samuel. Israel's problem is not simply that the people want an organized government. The deeper problem is their reason for wanting it, for they want to be like the nations around them.
God had already been their King. He had delivered them from Egypt, lead them through the wilderness, given them the land, and raised judges when they needed deliverance. Yet the people wanted something they could see and organize around.
Their request also comes after a period of peace under Samuel. The previous chapter describes how God gave Israel victory over the Philistines after the people repented and turned back to Him. Chapter 8 shows that even after this spiritual renewal, the people still want a different kind of security.
There is also a practical reason behind their concern. Samuel is old, and his sons are corrupt judges. The elders are right to recognize that Samuel's sons are not suitable leaders. Their concern about succession is understandable.
However, instead of asking God to provide the right leadership, they demand a king like the nations.
This distinction is important, for the chapter does not say that every form of kingship is wrong. God allows Israel to have a king and later establishes David as king. The problem is the attitude behind this particular request and the desire to replace trust in God's rule with confidence in a human ruler.
Samuel's warning about the king also gives an honest description of political power. A king may protect a nation, lead its armies, and provide stability, but he can also demand taxes, property, labour, and military service.
The people hear the warning and still choose the monarchy.
God allows their decision.
This shows that God sometimes allows people to choose a path even when He has warned them about its consequences. His willingness to allow their request does not mean that their motives were right.
The chapter prepares the reader for the rise of Saul. Israel will soon have the king it demanded. The story will show the strengths and serious weaknesses of human leadership.
1 Samuel chapter 8 therefore stands at the beginning of Israel's monarchy. Samuel's leadership is coming toward its later years, his sons have failed as judges, and the people demand a king. God allows their request but warns them about the cost. The central issue is not simply whether Israel should have a king, but whether the people will continue to trust God as their true King while living under human leadership.