1 Samuel 8:9

1 Samuel 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
• New International Version (NIV)Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
• New Living Translation (NLT)Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

Context of 1 Samuel 8:9

7And 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. 8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” 10So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.

1 Samuel 8:9 word by word

וְעַתָּ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלָ֑ם אַ֗ךְ כִּֽי־הָעֵ֤ד תָּעִיד֙ בָּהֶ֔ם וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֔ם מִשְׁפַּ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְלֹ֖ךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
• unto their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• howbeitאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• yet protestעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
• unto them, and shewנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• them the mannerמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941
• of the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• that shall reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:9

• Ezekiel 3:18When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
• 1 Samuel 8:11And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.
• 1 Samuel 2:13And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.
• 1 Samuel 10:25Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
• 1 Samuel 14:52Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.
• Ezekiel 45:7“The prince shall have a section on one side and the other of the holy district and the city’s property; and bordering on the holy district and the city’s property, extending westward on the west side and eastward on the east side, the length shall be side by side with one of the tribal portions, from the west border to the east border.
• Ezekiel 46:18Moreover the prince shall not take any of the people’s inheritance by evicting them from their property; he shall provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people may be scattered from his property.” ’ ”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Show them the manner of the king - The word משפט mishpat, which we here render manner, signifies simply what the king would and might require, according to the manner in which kings in general ruled; all of whom, in those times, were absolute and despotic. The whole of this manner of the king is well illustrated by Puffendorf. "Hitherto," says he, "the people of Israel had lived under governors raised up of God, who had exacted no tribute of them, nor put…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. 1-22When Israel was changing to a monarchy (rule by kings), neither God (1 Samuel 8:7–9) nor Samuel (1 Samuel 12:1–25) liked the people's request for a king. Saul, the first king (1 Samuel 9–11), did not succeed in his role (1 Samuel 13–31) and proved Samuel's warnings true (see 1 Samuel 8:10–18; compare 1 Samuel 16:1–13).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 8:9

• Government
• Israel
• Samuel

In the dictionaries

• Manner
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Sharpen
• Theocracy
• How
• Israel, History of
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Judges, Period of
• 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