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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

Context of 1 Samuel 8:3

1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

1 Samuel 8:3 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• not in his waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• but turned asideנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• lucreבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
• and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• bribesשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
• judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:3

• 2 Samuel 15:4And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”
• 1 Kings 12:6Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer 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 person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.
• Jeremiah 22:15“Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him.
• Exodus 18:21But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
• Deuteronomy 16:19Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.
• Psalms 15:5who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
• Psalms 26:10in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
• Isaiah 33:15Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—
• 1 Timothy 3:3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
• 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

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