English Standard Version
1 Samuel 8:7
7And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
1 Samuel 8:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
- New International Version (NIV)And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.
Context of 1 Samuel 8:7
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." 6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
Read all of 1 Samuel 81 Samuel 8:7 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל שְׁמַע֙ בְּק֣וֹל הָעָ֔ם לְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אֹֽתְךָ֙ מָאָ֔סוּ כִּֽי־אֹתִ֥י מָאֲס֖וּ מִמְּלֹ֥ךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- Hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- unto the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- unto thee: for they have not rejectedמָאַסmâ'as · to rejectH3988
- me, that I should not reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:7
- Numbers 22:20And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you."
- Psalms 81:11"But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
- Isaiah 66:4I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight."
- Hosea 13:10Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are all your rulers— those of whom you said, "Give me a king and princes"?
- 1 Samuel 10:19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands."
- 1 Samuel 12:17Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king."
- Exodus 16:8And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord."
- Matthew 10:24"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
- Luke 10:16"The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
- Luke 19:14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'
- John 13:16Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
- John 15:20Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7They have rejected me - They wish to put that government in the hands of a mortal, which was always in the hands of their God. But hearken unto their voice - grant them what they request. So we find God grants that in his displeasure which he withholds in his mercy.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-9Verses 4-9 Samuel was displeased; he could patiently bear what reflected on himself, and his own family; but it displeased him when they said, Give us a king to judge us, because that reflected upon God. It drove him to his knees. When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well as our duty, to show our trouble before God. Samuel is to tell them that they shall have a king. Not that God was pleased with their request, but as sometimes he opposes us…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Listen to the voice of the people: God rarely told a prophet to listen to the misguided people. The people's desires and God's will would align with King David (see 2 Samuel 7:8–17). they have rejected Me: By rejecting judges, they were actually rejecting God's rule and authority (see also 1 Samuel 12:1–17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-106-10. the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us--Personal and family feelings might affect his views of this public movement. But his dissatisfaction arose principally from the proposed change being revolutionary in its character. Though it would not entirely subvert their theocratic government, the appointment of a visible monarch would necessarily tend to throw out of view their unseen King and Head. God intimated, through…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 8:7
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries