1 Samuel 8: Israel asks Samuel for a king
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What happens?
When Samuel is old he makes his sons judges, but they take bribes and twist justice. The elders of Israel come to Samuel at Ramah and ask for a king to judge them, like all the nations. Samuel is displeased and prays, and Yahweh tells him to listen to the people: they have not rejected Samuel, they have rejected Yahweh as king over them. Samuel warns the people what a king will take from them, but they still want a king, and Yahweh tells Samuel to make them one.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 4 of the 22 verses: Yahweh's answer to Samuel in verses 7 to 9, and his word to Samuel in verse 22. The elders of Israel ask for a king in verse 5, and verse 6 repeats their words. Samuel warns the people what a king will do in verses 11 to 18. Verse 10 says he told them all Yahweh's words, but the words in verses 11 to 18 are Samuel's, so they are not in gold. The people answer in verses 19 and 20, and Samuel sends the men of Israel home in verse 22. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
In plain English: When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
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2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
In plain English: His firstborn son was named Joel, and his second son Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
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3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
In plain English: But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and twisted justice (this Bible: perverted justice).
The Hebrew word: "Turned aside" and "perverted" are the same word in Hebrew, natah, used twice: Samuel's sons turned aside after gain, and turned aside justice. The law in uses the same word: "You shall not pervert justice ... You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise".
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4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.
In plain English: Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
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5They 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.”
In plain English: They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us (this Bible: make us a king) to judge us (or: to rule us), like all the nations."
Good to know: The law speaks of such a request in : when Israel says, "I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me", says they shall set as king "him whom Yahweh your God chooses". In Gideon had said, "I will not rule over you ... Yahweh shall rule over you."
The Hebrew word: "To judge us" is shaphat, the word used for the judges in the book of Judges. The dictionary gives it as "to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence", and also "to govern". Verse 20 shows what the people have in mind: a king who will judge them, go out in front of them and fight their battles.
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6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
In plain English: But the thing displeased Samuel (literally: was evil in Samuel's eyes) when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
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7Yahweh 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.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to the people (literally: to the voice of the people) in everything they say to you. It is not you they have rejected. They have rejected me from being king over them.
The Hebrew word: "Rejected" is ma'as, which the dictionary gives as "to spurn". In 1 Samuel this Bible says "reject" or a longer form in all 6 verses that use it. It comes back when Samuel speaks to the people in , and in Samuel's words to Saul in and .
Good to know: Verses 7 to 9 and the first words of verse 22 are Yahweh's own words to Samuel, so they are printed in gold. Yahweh tells Samuel three times to listen to the people (verses 7, 9 and 22), and in verse 9 also to warn them.
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8According 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.God speaks
In plain English: They are doing to you just what they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until today: they have left me (this Bible: forsaken me) and served other gods.
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9Now 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.”God speaks
In plain English: So now, listen to them (literally: to their voice). But warn them solemnly, and tell them the way (or: the rights) of the king who will reign over them."
The Hebrew word: "The way of the king" is mishpat of the king. The dictionary gives mishpat as "a verdict ... justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style". The same phrase begins Samuel's warning in verse 11, and "the regulations of the kingdom" in uses the same word.
What changes: Read as "the rights of the king", Samuel tells them what a king will be allowed to claim from them. Read as "the way of the king", he tells them what kings do. Either way, verses 11 to 17 list what the king will take.
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10Samuel told all Yahweh’s words to the people who asked him for a king.
In plain English: Samuel told all Yahweh's words to the people who were asking him for a king.
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11He 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.
In plain English: He said, "This is the way (or: these are the rights) of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and put them in his service (this Bible: appoint them as his servants), for his chariots and as his horsemen, and they will run in front of his chariots.
Good to know: Verse 10 says Samuel told the people all Yahweh's words. The warning in verses 11 to 18 is spoken by Samuel, so it is not printed in gold. In this Bible the word "take" comes again and again: sons (verse 11), daughters (verse 13), fields and vineyards (verse 14), a tenth of the grain (verse 15), servants and donkeys (verse 16), a tenth of the flocks (verse 17). In verses 15 and 17 the Hebrew has a single word, "take a tenth".
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12He 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.
In plain English: He will make some of them commanders (this Bible: captains) of thousands and commanders of fifties. He will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and the equipment of his chariots.
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13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers.
In plain English: He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks and bakers.
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14He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even your best, and give them to his servants.
In plain English: He will take your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves, the best of them, and give them to his servants.
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15He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants.
In plain English: He will take a tenth of your grain (literally: your seed) and of your vineyards, and give it to his officials (or: his eunuchs; this Bible: officers) and to his servants.
The Hebrew word: "Officers" is saris, which the dictionary gives as "a eunuch; by implication, valet ... and thus, a minister of state". This Bible gives it as "eunuch" or a longer form in 28 of the 42 verses that use it, and as "officer" or "officers" in 15.
What changes: Read as "officials", the king gives the tenth to the men who run his court. Read as "eunuchs", it goes to a particular group of men who served at a king's court. The verse says only that the king gives it to them and to his servants.
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16He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.
In plain English: He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to his own work.
Good to know: The Hebrew has "your best young men". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "your good herds" instead, and ends the verse "and will take the tenth of them for his works".
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17He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.
In plain English: He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants.
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18You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.”
In plain English: On that day you will cry out because of the king you have chosen for yourselves, and Yahweh will not answer you on that day."
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19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,
In plain English: But the people refused to listen to Samuel (literally: to the voice of Samuel). They said, "No! We will have a king over us,
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20that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”
In plain English: so that we too may be like all the nations. Our king will judge us (or: rule us), go out in front of us, and fight our battles."
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21Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh.
In plain English: Samuel heard all the words of the people and repeated them to Yahweh (literally: spoke them in Yahweh's ears).
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22Yahweh 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.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to them (literally: to their voice) and make them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go back to your own city."
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