1 Samuel 8:1

CHAPTER VIII

Samuel, grown old, makes his sons judges in Beer-sheba, 1, 2.

They pervert judgment; and the people complain, and desire a

king, 3-5.

Samuel is displeased, and inquires of the Lord, 6.

The Lord is also displeased; but directs Samuel to appoint them

a king, and to show them solemnly the consequences of their

choice, 7-9.

Samuel does so; and shows them what they may expect from an

absolute monarch, and how afflicted they should be under his

administration, 10-18.

The people refuse to recede from their demand; and Samuel lays

the matter before the Lord, and dismisses them, 19-22.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII

Verse 1 Samuel 8:1. When Samuel was old] Supposed to be about sixty.

He made his sons judges] He appointed them as his lieutenants to superintend certain affairs in Beer-sheba, which he could not conveniently attend to himself. But they were never judges in the proper sense of the word; Samuel was the last judge in Israel, and he judged it to the day of his death. See 1 Samuel 7:16.