1 Samuel 8: Give Us a King
Israel rejects the Lord's kingship, demanding a king like the nations, and Samuel warns of all that such a king will take.
1 Samuel 8 (WEB)
1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3 His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;
5 and they 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.”
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
7 Yahweh 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, that I should not be king over them.
8 According 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 do they also to you.
9 Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them.”
10 Samuel told all Yahweh’s words to the people who asked of him a king.
11 He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
12 and he 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.
13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants.
15 He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.
18 You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No; but we will have a king over us,
20 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.”
21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh.
22 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”
1 Samuel 8 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer–sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5 And 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.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 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.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
1 Samuel 8 (ASV)
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;
5 and they 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.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
12 and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,
20 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.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah.
22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
Summary
When Samuel grows old, he appoints his sons as judges, but they do not walk in his ways, turning aside after dishonest gain, taking bribes, and perverting justice. So all the elders of Israel gather and come to Samuel at Ramah, asking him to give them a king to judge them like all the nations. The request displeases Samuel, and he prays to the Lord. God tells Samuel to listen to the people, for they have not rejected Samuel but have rejected God himself from being king over them, just as they have forsaken him for other gods since coming out of Egypt. Yet God instructs Samuel to warn them solemnly of the ways of the king who will reign over them. Samuel describes how such a king will take their sons for his chariots and armies, their daughters for his service, the best of their fields and vineyards and produce, a tenth of their grain and flocks, and their servants and livestock, until they themselves become his servants and cry out in that day, with no answer from the Lord. But the people refuse to listen, insisting they will have a king to be like the nations and to fight their battles. Samuel reports their words to the Lord, who again says to make them a king. The chapter exposes the human craving to be like everyone else and the cost of rejecting God's rule over us.
Main Characters
- Samuel — The aging judge whose sons fail him, who is grieved by Israel's demand for a king, and who faithfully warns and intercedes.
- The elders of Israel — The leaders who demand a king like the nations, rejecting God's direct rule despite Samuel's solemn warnings.
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The true King whom Israel rejects, who grants their request while exposing the cost and the heart behind it.
- Samuel's sons — Joel and Abijah, who do not walk in their father's ways but pervert justice for dishonest gain.
Key Verse
1 Samuel 8:7 (WEB)
Yahweh 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, that I should not be king over them.
Lessons Learned
- The desire to be “like all the nations” can lead us to reject God's rule over us.
- Rejecting godly leadership is often, at root, a rejection of God himself.
- God may grant our insistent demands while warning us of their cost.
- What we choose against God's counsel often ends in bondage rather than freedom.
- Rejecting God's rule is the real issue. “They have rejected me, that I should not be king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7, WEB). Behind the demand for a king lay a refusal of God's kingship.
- Wanting to be like everyone else is dangerous. Israel demanded a king “like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5, WEB). Conformity to the world often means abandoning what sets God's people apart.
- God warns before he grants. Samuel “protest[ed] solemnly” about the king's ways (1 Samuel 8:9-18, WEB). God is honest about the consequences of our choices.
- Self-will can lead to servitude. “You shall be his servants” (1 Samuel 8:17, WEB), Samuel warns. Insisting on our own way against God can bind rather than free us.
- What prompts the elders to ask for a king, and what does their request reveal about their hearts?
- Why does God say the people have rejected him rather than Samuel?
- What is the significance of wanting to be “like all the nations”?
- Why does God grant the request even after warning of its costs?
- Where are you tempted to want to be like everyone else rather than to live under God's kingship?
- The failure of Samuel's sons and a desire to be like the nations drive the request (8:3-5). Yet beneath legitimate concern lies a deeper wish to trade God's rule for a visible, human king like everyone else.
- God says, “they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them” (8:7). To reject God's appointed leadership and his direct rule is ultimately to reject God himself; the human request masks a spiritual rebellion.
- Wanting to be “like all the nations” (8:5, 20) abandons Israel's distinct calling to be God's own people under his rule. The pull toward conformity tempts believers in every age to surrender their God-given identity.
- God grants the request to let Israel experience the consequences of their choice, while warning them honestly (8:9-22). Sometimes God allows us our insistent desires so we may learn the costs of rejecting his counsel.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to identify pressures to conform that quietly displace God's authority in their lives. As leader, keep the tone reflective, pointing to the freedom found under Christ the true King.