1 Sam 8:1-22 · Read 10 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, at Mizpah, “Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him” (1 Sam 7:9). He set up a stone and called it Ebenezer, saying, “The LORD helped us until now” (1 Sam 7:12).
“Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (1 Sam 7:15). Each year he went around to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, and “His return was to Ramah, for his house was there” (1 Sam 7:17). This lesson reads what happened when Samuel was old.
1When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.
5They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king 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, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do to you.
9Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”
10Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked him for a king.
11He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots.
12He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest; and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots.
13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even your best, and give them to his servants.
15He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants.
16He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.
17He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.
18You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,
20that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”
21Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.”
His sons. “When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel” (v. 1). They were judges in Beersheba (v. 2). “His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (v. 3).
Make us a king. “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah” (v. 4), and said: “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (v. 5).
Displeased, and he prayed. “But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ Samuel prayed to the LORD” (v. 6).
Not you. The LORD said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them” (v. 7); “since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do to you” (v. 8). And: “However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them” (v. 9).
The way of the king. Samuel told the people all the LORD’s words: “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you” (v. 11) — sons, daughters, fields, grain, flocks, the king would take them all; “and you will be his servants” (v. 17). “You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you in that day” (v. 18).
We will have a king. “But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, 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’” (vv. 19–20).
In the ears of the LORD. “Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD” (v. 21). The LORD said: “Listen to their voice, and make them a king” (v. 22). Samuel said to the men of Israel: “Everyone go to your own city” (v. 22).
Before Samuel, the judge Gideon had defeated Midian. The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son’s son also” (Judg 8:22). Gideon said: “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. The LORD shall rule over you” (Judg 8:23).
In this lesson the elders say to Samuel, “Now make us a king to judge us” (v. 5), and the LORD says that “they have rejected me as the king over them” (v. 7).
Readers can see this: Israel’s wish for a king did not begin on this day; and the LORD took the matter as being about himself.
Perhaps you have known a time like this: you worked faithfully for a long while, and in the end people said you were old and it was time for someone else. Or someone in your family took a road you could not agree with, and you could not stop them.
This lesson does not say that once these things are spoken aloud they will feel better. The thing displeased Samuel (v. 6), and it did not turn out the way he wished. What it shows you is this: when he was displeased, “Samuel prayed to the LORD” (v. 6); when he heard the people’s words, “he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD” (v. 21). A psalm says: “Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us” (Ps 62:8).
This week: Write down one thing that has displeased you lately — as it is, without dressing it up. Then, in a few sentences, as Samuel did, lay it before God.
Scripture: World English Bible.