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.”
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”

Context of 1 Samuel 8:20

18And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." 19But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, "No! But there shall be 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 when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey their voice and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his 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 8:5and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations."
• Exodus 33:16For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?"
• Leviticus 20:24But I have said to you, 'You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.' I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
• Numbers 23:9For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!
• Deuteronomy 7:6"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
• Psalms 106:35but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.
• John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
• Romans 12:12Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
• 2 Corinthians 6:17Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
• Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him 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