1Sa 8 | MHM | STEP | The Wickedness of Samuel's Sons This section describes a sad change in Israel’s leadership. Samuel, who had faithfully served God and the people, was getting old and could not do as much as before. He appointed his sons to help him as judges. Sadly, his sons did not follow his good example. Their failure caused many problems for Israel and set the stage for the people to demand a king. v. 1 : Samuel became old and was not able to judge Israel like he once did . Even though he was not extremely old, his hard work and care for the people may have made him feel older than his years. This reminds us that people should work hard when they are young, because age will make work more difficult.

‏ 1 Samuel 8

The Wickedness of Samuel's Sons

This section describes a sad change in Israel’s leadership. Samuel, who had faithfully served God and the people, was getting old and could not do as much as before. He appointed his sons to help him as judges. Sadly, his sons did not follow his good example. Their failure caused many problems for Israel and set the stage for the people to demand a king.

v. 1: Samuel became old and was not able to judge Israel like he once did . Even though he was not extremely old, his hard work and care for the people may have made him feel older than his years. This reminds us that people should work hard when they are young, because age will make work more difficult.

v. 2: To help with his duties, Samuel made his sons judges in Beer-sheba, a city far from his home in Ramah . He did not do this just because they were his sons, but because he believed they were suitable for the job. Samuel’s hope was that they would continue his good work and help the people fairly.

v. 3: Sadly, Samuel’s sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes, which led them to make unjust decisions . While Samuel had always been honest and fair, his sons let their desire for money corrupt them. This shows that even good parents cannot guarantee their children will follow God. When leaders love money more than justice, the whole nation suffers.

Israel Demands a King

This section describes how the elders of Israel came to Samuel and asked for a king to rule over them, like the other nations. The request was a turning point for Israel, moving them from being led directly by God through judges to being ruled by a human king. The commentary discusses the reasons the people wanted a king, Samuel’s reaction, and God’s response, showing both the dangers and consequences of wanting to be like the world instead of trusting in God’s rule.

v. 4: All the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. They were united in their request and showed the desire of the people as a whole.

v. 5: They told Samuel,"You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations". They wanted a king because Samuel was getting old and his sons were not good leaders. But they also wanted to be like other nations, which showed a lack of trust in God.

v. 6: Samuel was displeased with their request and prayed to the Lord. He did not like the idea because he knew it was not God’s best for Israel.

v. 7: The Lord told Samuel to listen to the people, because they were not rejecting Samuel, but rejecting God as their king. God saw that their desire came from a long-standing problem of not wanting to follow Him as their ruler .

v. 8: God reminded Samuel that the people had always turned away from Him, serving other gods since He brought them out of Egypt. This request for a king was just another example of their unfaithfulness.

v. 9: God told Samuel to warn the people and explain what having a king would mean. He should tell them the "rights" of the king and how he would rule over them, so they would understand the consequences of their choice.

v. 10: Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king. He faithfully delivered God’s message without holding anything back.

v. 11: Samuel explained that a king would take their sons to serve with his chariots and horses, to run before his chariots. Their children would be forced into royal service and war.

v. 12: The king would make some of them commanders and soldiers, others would have to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others would make his weapons and equipment for his chariots. The king would use their people and resources for his own benefit.

v. 13: The king would take their daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. Their families would be taken for the king’s use.

v. 14: He would take the best of their fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants. The king would not respect their private property.

v. 15: He would take a tenth of their grain and vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. The people would have to pay taxes to support the king’s court.

v. 16: The king would take their male and female servants, their best young men, and donkeys to use for his work.

v. 17: He would take a tenth of their flocks, and the people would become his servants. The king would rule over every part of their lives.

v. 18: Samuel warned that when they realized how hard life was under a king, they would cry out to the Lord, but He would not answer them because of their choice.

v. 19: But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They insisted, "No! We want a king over us!" They did not care about the warnings because they were determined to have their own way.

v. 20: They wanted to be like other nations, have a king to judge them, lead them, and fight their battles. They thought a king would solve their problems.

v. 21: Samuel listened to all that the people said and then repeated it to the Lord. He continued to seek God in the matter.

v. 22: The Lord told Samuel to give the people a king. Samuel then told the people to go home, and the stage was set for Israel to have their first king.