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.
• New International Version (NIV)But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
• 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.

Context of 1 Samuel 8:3

1As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. 5“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like 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 15:4I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
• 1 Kings 12:6Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”
• 2 Kings 21:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother was Hephzibah.
• Ecclesiastes 2:19And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless!
• Jeremiah 22:15But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king! Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink. But he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him.
• Exodus 18:21But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.
• Deuteronomy 16:19You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
• Psalms 15:5Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.
• Psalms 26:10Their hands are dirty with evil schemes, and they constantly take bribes.
• Isaiah 33:15Those who are honest and fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong—
• 1 Timothy 3:3He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.
• 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

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