1
When
Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
+2
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. +
3
His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. +
4
Then all the elders of
Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.
+5
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."
+6
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us."Samuel prayed to The LORD. +
7
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. +
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, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so they also do to you.
+9
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." +
10
Samuel told all The LORD's words to the people who asked him for a king. +
11
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. +
12
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. +
13
He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers. +
14
He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your
olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants.
+15
He will take one tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers, and to his servants. +
16
He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work. +
17
He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants. +
18
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."
+19
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; 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
Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of The LORD. +
22
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." +
[Previous] [Next]
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
THE
FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL,
OTHERWISE CALLED
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.
Commentary by ROBERT JAMIESON
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]
[18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31]