1 Samuel 8:1

1 Samuel 8:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.

Context of 1 Samuel 8:1

And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. 3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

1 Samuel 8:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר זָקֵ֖ן שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־בָּנָ֛יו שֹׁפְטִ֖ים לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• was oldזָקֵןzâqên · be oldH2204
• that he madeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• judgesשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• over Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:1

• Deuteronomy 16:18“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your cities (gates) which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
• Judges 8:22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule [as king] over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have rescued us from the hand of Midian.”
• 2 Chronicles 19:5He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,
• Nehemiah 7:2I put my brother Hanani, with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for Hananiah was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many [of the others].
• 1 Timothy 5:21I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels that you guard and keep these rules without bias, doing nothing out of favoritism.
• Judges 5:10Sing of it, you who ride on white donkeys, You who sit on rich carpets, And you who walk by the way.
• Judges 10:4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead that are called Havvoth-jair (towns of Jair) to this day.
• Judges 12:14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel for eight years.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When Samuel was old - Supposed to be about sixty. He made his sons judges - He appointed them as his lieutenants to superintend certain affairs in Beer-sheba, which he could not conveniently attend to himself. But they were never judges in the proper sense of the word; Samuel was the last judge in Israel, and he judged it to the day of his death. See 1 Samuel 7:16.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1This verse implies a long period, probably not less than 20 years, of which we have no account except what is contained in the brief notice in 1 Samuel 7:13-17. The general idea conveyed is of a time of peace and prosperity, analogous to that under other Judges.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The evil government of Samuel's sons. (1-3) The Israelites ask for a king. (4-9) The manner of a king. (10-22) Verses 1-3 It does not appear that Samuel's sons were so profane and vicious as Eli's sons; but they were corrupt judges, they turned aside after lucre. Samuel took no bribes, but his sons did, and then they perverted judgment. What added to the grievance of the people was, that they were threatened by an invasion from Nahash, king of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22When Israel was changing to a monarchy (rule by kings), neither God (1 Samuel 8:7–9) nor Samuel (1 Samuel 12:1–25) liked the people's request for a king. Saul, the first king (1 Samuel 9–11), did not succeed in his role (1 Samuel 13–31) and proved Samuel's warnings true (see 1 Samuel 8:10–18; compare 1 Samuel 16:1–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-181Sa 8:1-18. Occasioned by the Ill- Government of Samuel's Sons, the Israelites Ask a King. 1-5. when Samuel was old--He was now about fifty-four years of age, having discharged the office of sole judge for twelve years. Unable, from growing infirmities, to prosecute his circuit journeys through the country, he at length confined his magisterial duties to Ramah and its neighborhood (1Sa 7:15), delegating to his sons as his deputies the administration of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 8:1

• Abia
• Bribery
• Judge
• Minister, Christian
• Rulers
• Samuel

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Samuel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Manner
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Sharpen
• Israel, History of
• Judah, Kingdom of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings