Chapter Eight

The establishment of the royal power among the Hebrew people.

1 Samuel 8:1. Now it came to pass when Samuel had grown old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. “His sons”: the vow of Naziriteship (see the note to 1 Sam 1:11) was not connected with the obligation of celibacy for the one who made this vow.

1 Samuel 8:3. But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Beersheba — a city near the southern borders of Canaan. The distance of Beersheba from Samuel’s principal residence Ramah (see the note to 1 Sam 1:1) to a considerable degree explains the freedom of action which Samuel’s sons allowed themselves (v.3).

1 Samuel 8:5. And they said to him: You have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now make us a king to judge us, like all the nations. The people believed that the firm hand of a powerful king would serve as a sufficient guarantee against various kinds of abuses on the part of secondary authorities.

1 Samuel 8:6. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. “And the thing displeased Samuel.” The form of Hebrew self-government which had been established by this time bore the character of a theocracy, that is, the rule of God, in the narrow sense of this word. Being equally God and the Heavenly King of all peoples (theocracy in the broad sense of the word), the Lord was in relation to His chosen people also their earthly King. From Him came forth laws, statutes, and ordinances not only of a purely religious, but also of a family, social, and state character. As King, He was also the Supreme Commander of the military forces of His people. The tabernacle, being the place of God’s special presence, was at the same time the residence of the Ruler of the Hebrew people: here the will of their Heavenly and earthly King was revealed to the people in all important matters of their religious, family, social, and state life. The prophets, high priests, leaders, and judges were only obedient executors and instruments of the will of the Heavenly Master of the people. From this it becomes understandable why the zealous guardian of Jehovah, Samuel, was displeased with the desire of the people: in this desire he saw a betrayal by the Hebrews of their original King (1 Sam 8:7-8). Furthermore, in asking for a king, the Hebrews said: “like all the (that is, pagan) nations.” From the following, however, we see that the Lord permitted Samuel to satisfy the people’s desire, finding that the fulfillment of this desire need not contradict the form of theocratic government established among the Hebrews, since the earthly king of the theocratic state of the Hebrews is and should be nothing more than a zealous executor and instrument in the people entrusted to him of the laws of the Heavenly King (Deut 17:14-20).

1 Samuel 8:9. So listen to their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. 1 Samuel 8:10. And Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that asked of him a king, 1 Samuel 8:11. And said: This will be the way of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to him as his chariots and his horsemen, and some shall run before his chariots; 1 Samuel 8:12. And he will appoint him commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some shall plow his fields and reap his harvest, and make him instruments of war and implements for his chariots; 1 Samuel 8:13. And he will take your daughters to be confectioners, and cooks, and bakers; 1 Samuel 8:14. And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your best olive groves and give them to his servants; 1 Samuel 8:15. And he will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his eunuchs and to his servants; 1 Samuel 8:16. And your menservants and your maidservants and your best young men and your donkeys he will take, and put them to his work; 1 Samuel 8:17. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants; 1 Samuel 8:18. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day. Samuel described not a statute of the power of the Hebrew king, but a picture of the usual behavior of a king in the East at that time. The harsh tones of this picture were intended to inspire the Hebrews with greater caution in their proposed undertaking.

1 Samuel 8:20. And we will be like all the nations; and our king will judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. Along with other considerations, in the desire expressed by the people there was also an inducement of what might be called national pride: “and we will be like all the nations.”

1 Samuel 8:22. And the Lord said to Samuel: Listen to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the people of Israel: Go each of you to your own city. The first two kings — Saul and David — were a visible and tangible example to the people of what a king of the Hebrews should not be (Saul), and what a king of the Hebrews should be (David).