1 Samuel 8:20

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

18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you on that day.” 19The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.” 21Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to the Lord. 22“Listen to them,” the Lord told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your city.”

1 Samuel 8:20 word by word

וְהָיִ֥ינוּ גַם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ כְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּ מַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙ וְיָצָ֣א לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַ֖ם אֶת־מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That we also may be like all the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• and that our kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• may judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• us, and go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• us, and fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• our battlesמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:20

• 1 Samuel 8:5They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”
• Exodus 33:16How will it be known that I and your people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.”
• Leviticus 20:24And I promised you: You will inherit their land, since I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the Lord your God who set you apart from the peoples.
• Numbers 23:9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. There is a people living alone; it does not consider itself among the nations.
• Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
• Psalms 106:35but mingled with the nations and adopted their ways.
• John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
• Romans 12:12Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.
• 2 Corinthians 6:17Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you.
• Philippians 3:20Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous 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

• Government
• Israel
• Samuel
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Manner
• Samuel
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Sharpen
• Army
• Israel, History of
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Judges, Period of
• Judging Judgment

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