1 Samuel 8:20

1 Samuel 8:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
• New International Version (NIV)Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."
• New King James Version (NKJV)that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

Context of 1 Samuel 8:20

18When the day comes and you cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, Adonai will not answer you on that day.” 19But the people refused to listen to Samuel, and they said, “No! But a king should be over us! So we may become like all the nations—having our king who will judge us, go out before us and fight our battles.” 21After Samuel heard all the words of the people, he reported them back in the hearing of Adonai. 22Adonai said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint a king to reign for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, each one to his town.”

1 Samuel 8:20 word by word

וְהָיִ֥ינוּ גַם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ כְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּ מַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙ וְיָצָ֣א לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַ֖ם אֶת־מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That we also may be like all the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• and that our kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• may judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• us, and go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• us, and fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• our battlesמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 8:20

• 1 Samuel 8:5and said to him, “Behold, you have grown old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us—like all the nations.”
• Exodus 33:16For how would it be known that I or your people have found favor in Your sight? Isn’t it because You go with us, that distinguishes us from all the people on the face of the earth?”
• Leviticus 20:24But I have said to you, ‘You will inherit their land and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am Adonai your God, who has set you apart from the peoples.
• Numbers 23:9From the rocky peaks I see him. From the heights I behold him. Look, he lives as a nation apart, and does not consider himself as being like the other nations.
• Deuteronomy 7:6For you are a holy people to Adonai your God—from all the peoples on the face of the earth, Adonai your God has chosen you to be His treasured people.
• Psalms 106:35Instead they mingled with the nations and learned their practices.
• John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But you are not of the world, since I have chosen you out of the world; therefore the world hates you.
• Romans 12:12rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer,
• 2 Corinthians 6:17Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate, says Adonai. Touch no unclean thing. Then I will take you in.
• Philippians 3:20For our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 8:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20May judge us - This appears to be a rejection of Samuel. Go out before us - Be in every respect our head and governor. And fight our battles - Be the general of our armies.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Fight our battles - It appears from 1 Samuel 12:12, that the warlike movements of Nahash had already begun to excite alarm.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 If they would have a king to rule them, as the eastern kings ruled their subjects, they would find the yoke exceedingly heavy. Those that submit to the government of the world and the flesh, are told plainly, what hard masters they are, and what tyranny the dominion of sin is. The law of God and the manner of men widely differ from each other; the former should be our rule in the several relations of life; the latter should be the measure of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20God had set Israel apart from other nations (Leviticus 20:26; Numbers 23:9). By wanting a king and wishing to be like other nations, they were rejecting God's plan (see 1 Samuel 8:5–7; compare Deuteronomy 17:14). to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”: Kings had three main roles: waging wars, both offensive and defensive, enforcing laws, and ensuring economic stability.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2219-22. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel--They sneered at Samuel's description as a bugbear to frighten them. Determined, at all hazards, to gain their object, they insisted on being made like all the other nations, though it was their glory and happiness to be unlike other nations in having the Lord for their King and Lawgiver (Nu 23:9; De 33:28). Their demand was conceded, for the government of a king had been provided for in…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 8:20

• Government
• Israel
• Samuel
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Manner
• Samuel
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Sharpen
• Army
• Israel, History of
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Judges, Period of
• Judging Judgment

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