1 Samuel 8
8
Israel Demands a King
1Now when Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second Abijah—they were judges in Beersheba.
3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain—they took bribes and perverted justice.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5and said to him, “Behold, you have grown old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us—like all the nations.”
6But the matter was displeasing in Samuel’s eyes when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to Adonai.
7Then Adonai said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, rather they have rejected Me from being king over them.
8Like all the deeds that they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt to this day—forsaking Me and worshiping other gods—so they are doing to you also.
9So now, listen to their voice. However, you must earnestly forewarn them, and declare to them the rulings of the king who will reign over them.”
10Now Samuel reported all the words of Adonai to the people who were asking him for a king.
11“This will be the practice of the king that will reign over you,” he said. “He will draft your sons and assign them as his charioteers and horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.
12He will appoint them as commanders of thousands and captains of fifties, also some to plow his fields, reap his harvest, make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.
13Also he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks and bakers.
14He will seize the best of your fields, vineyards and olive groves, and give them to his courtiers.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage and give it to his officials and slaves.
16He will also take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work.
17He will also take the tenth of your flocks. Then you yourselves will become his slaves.
18When the day comes and you cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, Adonai will not answer you on that day.”
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel, and they said, “No! But a king should be over us!
20So we may become like all the nations—having our king who will judge us, go out before us and fight our battles.”
21After Samuel heard all the words of the people, he reported them back in the hearing of Adonai.
22Adonai said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint a king to reign for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, each one to his town.”
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1 Samuel 8: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 8
8
Israel’s Demand for a King
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. # Dt 16:18-19 2His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. # Gn 22:19; 1Kg 19:3; Am 5:5 3However, his sons did not walk in his ways — they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. # Ex 23:1-9
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. # 1Sm 7:17 5They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.” # Dt 17:14-15
6When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the Lord. 7But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king. # Ex 16:8; 1Sm 10:19 8They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me, # LXX; MT omits to Me since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods. 9Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them # Ezk 3:18 and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them.”
10Samuel told all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king. 11He said, “These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. 12He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, # Nm 31:14; 1Sm 22:7 to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots. 13He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants. # 1Kg 21:7; Ezk 46:18 15He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. 16He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, # LXX reads best cattle and your donkeys and use them for his work. 17He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. 18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves, # Is 8:21 but the Lord won’t answer you on that day.” # Pr 1:25-28; Mc 3:4
19The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No! ” they said. “We must have a king over us. 20Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, # Nm 27:17; 1Sm 18:13; 2Ch 1:10 and fight our battles.”
21Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to the Lord. # Lit them in the Lord’s ears 22“Listen to them,” the Lord told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” # 1Sm 8:7
Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your city.”
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