American Standard Version
1 Samuel 8:20
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.
1 Samuel 8:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of 1 Samuel 8:20
18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day. 19But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us, 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. 21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah. 22And Jehovah 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.
Read all of 1 Samuel 81 Samuel 8:20 word by word
וְהָיִ֥ינוּ גַם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ כְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּ מַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙ וְיָצָ֣א לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַ֖ם אֶת־מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:20
- 1 Samuel 8:5and they 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.
- Exodus 33:16For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?
- Leviticus 20:24But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey: I am Jehovah your God, who hath separated you from the peoples.
- Numbers 23:9For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.
- Deuteronomy 7:6For thou art a holy people unto Jehovah thy God: Jehovah thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.
- Psalms 106:35But mingled themselves with the nations, And learned their works,
- John 15:19If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
- Romans 12:12rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;
- 2 Corinthians 6:17Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you,
- Philippians 3:20For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
- 1 Peter 2:9But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20May judge us - This appears to be a rejection of Samuel. Go out before us - Be in every respect our head and governor. And fight our battles - Be the general of our armies.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Fight our battles - It appears from 1 Samuel 12:12, that the warlike movements of Nahash had already begun to excite alarm.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 If they would have a king to rule them, as the eastern kings ruled their subjects, they would find the yoke exceedingly heavy. Those that submit to the government of the world and the flesh, are told plainly, what hard masters they are, and what tyranny the dominion of sin is. The law of God and the manner of men widely differ from each other; the former should be our rule in the several relations of life; the latter should be the measure of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20God had set Israel apart from other nations (Leviticus 20:26; Numbers 23:9). By wanting a king and wishing to be like other nations, they were rejecting God's plan (see 1 Samuel 8:5–7; compare Deuteronomy 17:14). to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”: Kings had three main roles: waging wars, both offensive and defensive, enforcing laws, and ensuring economic stability.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2219-22. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel--They sneered at Samuel's description as a bugbear to frighten them. Determined, at all hazards, to gain their object, they insisted on being made like all the other nations, though it was their glory and happiness to be unlike other nations in having the Lord for their King and Lawgiver (Nu 23:9; De 33:28). Their demand was conceded, for the government of a king had been provided for in…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 8:20
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries