1 Samuel 8:3

1 Samuel 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

Context of 1 Samuel 8:3

1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice. 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5“Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”

1 Samuel 8:3 word by word

וְלֹֽא־הָלְכ֤וּ בָנָיו֙ בִּדְרָכָ֔יו וַיִּטּ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַבָּ֑צַע וַיִּ֨קְחוּ־שֹׁ֔חַד וַיַּטּ֖וּ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ פRead the interlinear

• But his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• did notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• walkהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• in his waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• they turned asideנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• towardאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• dishonest gainבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
• acceptingלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• bribesשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
• justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:3

• 2 Samuel 15:4And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”
• 1 Kings 12:6Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
• 2 Kings 21:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.
• Ecclesiastes 2:19And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
• Jeremiah 22:15Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.
• Exodus 18:21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
• Deuteronomy 16:19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
• Psalms 15:5who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
• Psalms 26:10in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
• Isaiah 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
• 1 Timothy 3:3not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.
• 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3His sons walked not in his ways - Their iniquity is pointed out in three words: They turned aside after lucre; the original (בצע batsa ) signifies to cut, clip, break off; and therefore Mr. Parkhurst thinks that it means nearly the same with our clipping of coin. It however expresses here the idea of avarice, of getting money by hook or by crook. The Targum says, "They looked after דשקר ממון mamon dishkar, the mammon of unrighteousness;" of which they did…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3his sons did not walk in his ways: They were more like Eli’s two sons (1 Samuel 2:12–17). Their corruption was a main reason the time of the judges ended.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 8:3

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

In the dictionaries

• Manner
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Sharpen
• Bribery
• Israel, History of
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Judges, Period of
• Lucre
• Samuel

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