INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 8 This chapter relates, how that Samuel being old, and his sons behaving ill, the people desired to have a king set over them, 1 Samuel 8:1, which case Samuel laid before the Lord, and he was directed by him to yield to the people's desire, but at the same time to set b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN SAMUEL WAS OLD,.... The common notion of the Jews is, that he lived but fifty two years t; when a man is not usually called an old man, unless the infirmities of old age came upon him sooner than they commonly do, through his indefatigable labours from his childhood, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE NAME OF HIS FIRSTBORN WAS JOEL,.... In 1 Chronicles 6:28 he is called Vashni; 1 Chronicles 6:28. This was not Joel the prophet, as some have thought, neither his parentage, nor his office, nor his times, will agree with this: AND THE NAME OF HIS SECOND ABIAH: which two sons seem to be all h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS SONS WALKED NOT IN HIS WAYS,.... The meaning of which is not that they did not go the circuit he did, which is too low a sense of the words some Jewish writers give; but they did not walk in the fear of God, in the paths of religion and righteousness, truth and holiness; they neither served... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER,.... At some place of rendezvous appointed; these were the heads of the tribes, and fathers of the houses and families of Israel, the principal persons of age and authority: AND CAME TO SAMUEL UNTO RAMAH; the place of his nativity and abode... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID UNTO HIM, BEHOLD, THOU ART OLD,.... See 1 Samuel 8:1, his age was no reproach to him, nor was it becoming them to upbraid him with it; nor was it a reason why he should be removed from his office, for it did not disqualify him for it; but rather, having gained by age experience, was more fi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE THING DISPLEASED SAMUEL,.... Not that they called him an old man, and suggested that he was incapacitated for his office, nor for observing the unbecoming walk of his sons, but for what follows: WHEN THEY SAID, GIVE US A KING TO JUDGE US; what displeased him was, that they were for changing... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SAMUEL,.... He appeared to him in a vision or dream, and by an articulate voice delivered to him what follows: HEARKEN UNTO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IN ALL THAT THEY SAY UNTO THEE; not as approving of what they said, but permitting and allowing what they asked, as a punishment... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO ALL THE WORKS WHICH THEY HAVE DONE SINCE THE DAY THAT I BROUGHT THEM OUT OF EGYPT,.... This was no new thing; all that they had done since they were wonderfully favoured of God, as to be brought out of Egyptian bondage, was all of a piece with this; one continued series of ingratitude,... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE HEARKEN UNTO THEIR VOICE,.... And appoint them a king as they desire: HOWBEIT, YET PROTEST SOLEMNLY UNTO THEM; not against the thing itself, which was permitted, but against the evil of their request, as to the unseasonable time, ill manner, and unjustifiable reason, in and for which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL TOLD ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD UNTO THEM,.... How he considered this request of theirs as a rejection of him as their king, and that it was acting the same ungrateful part they had always done; and since they were so importunate to have it granted, it should be done; but that he was order... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, THIS WILL BE THE MANNER OF THE KING THAT SHALL REIGN OVER YOU,.... Not in which he ought to proceed, but what he will do: and this not the manner of one king, or of the first only, but of all of them, more or less; of kings in general, who are commonly inclined to arbitrary power. So Ar... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WILL APPOINT HIM CAPTAINS OVER THOUSANDS, AND CAPTAINS OVER FIFTIES,.... Which though posts of honour, yet when they are not matter of choice, and especially being precarious, and depending on the arbitrary will of a prince, are not eligible, and less so to persons that choose another sort of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WILL TAKE YOUR DAUGHTERS TO BE CONFECTIONARIES,.... Such as deal in spices, and mix them, and make them up in various forms very agreeable to the taste. Men are commonly in our countries and times employed in such arts, but it seems this was the business of women in those times and places. So... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WILL TAKE YOUR FIELDS, AND YOUR VINEYARDS, AND YOUR OLIVEYARDS,.... Which includes the whole increase of their land, their corn, and wine, and oil; and it is these, the fruits of their fields, vineyards, and oliveyards, which are here meant; for otherwise kings might not, and did not by their... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WILL TAKE THE TENTH OF YOUR SEED,.... When grown up and ripe, as their wheat and barley: AND OF YOUR VINEYARDS; the tenth of the grapes they should produce: AND GIVE TO HIS OFFICERS, AND TO HIS SERVANTS; for the support and maintenance of them; and to pay this, besides the tithes of the pri... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WILL TAKE YOUR MANSERVANTS, AND YOUR MAIDSERVANTS,.... Into his own family, for his own use and service, if he wants them, or likes them better than what he has: AND YOUR GOODLIEST YOUNG MEN: that are tall and lusty, comely and beautiful, of a proper stature and good aspect; and such in all... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL TAKE THE TENTH OF YOUR SHEEP,.... As well as of their seed and vineyards; and not the tithe of their flocks only, but of their herds also, which are here included, as Kimchi observes: AND YE SHALL BE HIS SERVANTS: made slaves of by him, even as the Canaanitish servants were, according to Ab... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL CRY OUT IN THAT DAY, BECAUSE OF YOUR KING,.... His power and pride, his oppression and tyranny, his heavy exactions, and intolerable yoke, and yet not be able to free themselves from them; all that they could do would be only to cry out under them as grievously distressed, and not knowi... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, THE PEOPLE REFUSED TO OBEY THE VOICE OF SAMUEL,.... The advice he gave not to think of a king, but be content with the government under which they were; but to this they would not hearken, notwithstanding all the inconveniences that would attend such a change: AND THEY SAID, NAY, BUT... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WE ALSO MAY BE LIKE ALL THE NATIONS,.... Even though they were slaves, like them; a king they would have, as they had, such was their stupidity. It was their greatest honour and glory, as well as happiness, not to be like other nations; as in their religion, laws, and liberties, so in their for... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL HEARD ALL THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE,.... Patiently, and without interruption; attentively heard them, took notice of them, laid them up in his memory; but gave no answer to them, but reported them to the Lord, as in the next clause: AND HE REHEARSED THEM IN THE EARS OF THE LORD; privately,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL,.... an audible voice, or by an impulse upon his mind: HEARKEN UNTO THEIR VOICE, AND MAKE THEM A KING; since they will have a king, let them have one, and let them know that they shall have one: AND SAMUEL SAID UNTO THE MEN OF ISRAEL: the elders of the people that addre... [ Continue Reading ]