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

1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer–sheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

1 Samuel 8:3 word by word

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

• 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 15:4Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
• 1 Kings 12:6And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
• 2 Kings 21:1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzi–bah.
• Ecclesiastes 2:19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
• Jeremiah 22:15Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
• Exodus 18:21Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
• Deuteronomy 16:19Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
• Psalms 15:5He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
• Psalms 26:10In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.
• Isaiah 33:15He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
• 1 Timothy 3:3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
• 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through 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