Samuel's Sons Fail as Leaders
Study note
When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, as judges over Israel at Beer-sheba. Unfortunately, like Eli's sons before them, Samuel's sons did not follow their father's example. They were dishonest, took bribes, and twisted justice. The elders of Israel used this as their reason to demand a king, asking Samuel to give them a king like all the other nations had.
1 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to serve as judges over Israel. And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 His oldest son was Joel, and his second son was Abijah. They served as judges down in Beersheba. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 But his sons did not walk in his footsteps. They were greedy and dishonest. They took bribes and twisted justice to favor whoever paid them. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4 All the elders of Israel gathered together and traveled to Samuel at Ramah. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5 They told him, "You have gotten old, and your sons are not following your example. Give us a king to lead us, the same way all the other nations have kings." 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.
God Tells Samuel to Listen to the People
Study note
Samuel was upset by the people's demand, but God told him not to take it personally. God said the people were not rejecting Samuel; they were rejecting God himself as their king. This had been their pattern ever since God brought them out of Egypt: they kept turning away from God to serve other gods. God told Samuel to warn the people about what a king would do to them, but to ultimately give them what they wanted.
6 This request deeply upset Samuel. When they said, "Give us a king to lead us," he went straight to the Lord in prayer. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7 The Lord told Samuel, "Listen to what the people are saying. It is not you they are turning against. They are turning against me and rejecting me as their king." 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 "This is nothing new. They have been doing this to me ever since I brought them out of Egypt. They keep abandoning me and running after other gods. Now they are doing the same thing to you." 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 "Go ahead and give them what they want. But first, warn them clearly. Make sure they understand exactly what a king will do to them." 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.
Samuel Warns About the Cost of a King
Study note
Samuel described in detail what life under a king would look like. A king would take their sons for his army, their daughters for his kitchen, their best fields and vineyards for his officials, and a tenth of their crops and flocks for his own use. In short, the people themselves would become servants of the king. Samuel warned that when they cried out to God because of their king, God would not answer them.
10 Samuel repeated every word from the Lord to the people who were demanding a king. And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 He told them, "Here is what the king who rules you will do: he will take your sons and force them to serve in his army. Some will drive his chariots and ride his horses. Others will run alongside his chariot as an escort." 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 "He will put some of your sons in charge of a thousand soldiers and others in charge of fifty. He will make some of them plow his fields and harvest his crops, and others build his weapons and equipment for his chariots." 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 "He will take your daughters and put them to work making his perfumes, cooking his meals, and baking his bread." And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 "He will seize your finest fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and hand them over to his own officials." And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 "He will take one-tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and servants." And 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 best servants, both men and women, along with your strongest young men and your donkeys. He will use them all for his own work." 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 one-tenth of your flocks. And on top of all that, you yourselves will end up being his servants." He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 "When that day comes, you will cry out in misery because of the king you chose for yourselves. But when that day arrives, the Lord will not answer you." 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.
The People Still Want a King
Study note
Despite Samuel's warnings, the people refused to change their minds. They insisted on having a king who would lead them and fight their battles, just like the other nations. Samuel reported their words to the Lord, and God told him to go ahead and give them a king. Samuel sent everyone home to their cities while he waited for God to show him who the king would be.
19 The people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. They insisted, "No! We want a king over us!" Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 "That way we will be just like all the other nations. Our king will lead us, march out ahead of us, and fight our battles for us." 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 listened carefully to everything the people had to say and then took it all back to the Lord. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22 The Lord said to Samuel, "Give them what they are asking for. Give them a king." Then Samuel told the Israelites, "Go on home, each of you back to your own town." 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.