Table of Contents
A summary of what YHWH says a king will do to the people:
- Take their Sons: The king will conscript their sons to serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run before his chariots (1 Samuel 8:11).
- Appoint Commanders: He will appoint commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots (1 Samuel 8:12).
- Take their Daughters: He will take their daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers (1 Samuel 8:13).
- Take the Best of their Fields and Vineyards: He will take the best of their fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his officials and attendants (1 Samuel 8:14).
- Take a Tenth of their Grain and Vineyards: He will take a tenth of their grain and vintage and give it to his officers and attendants (1 Samuel 8:15).
- Take their Servants and Animals: He will take their male and female servants and the best of their cattle and donkeys for his own use (1 Samuel 8:16).
- Take a Tenth of their Flocks: He will take a tenth of their flocks, and they themselves will become his slaves (1 Samuel 8:17).
YHWH concludes with a warning that when these things happen, the people will cry out for relief from the king they have chosen, but YHWH will not answer them in that day (1 Samuel 8:18). Despite this warning, the people insist on having a king, and YHWH instructs Samuel to give them what they want (1 Samuel 8:19-22).
1 Samuel 8
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 YHWH.
7 And the YHWH 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 shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of YHWH 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 YHWH 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 YHWH.
22 And the YHWH 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.
