1 Samuel 8:10-22 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

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Rejecting the Prophet's Warning

1 Samuel 8:10-22

The people had entreated Samuel to cry unto God in their behalf; and now we see him going to and fro between the people and God, as a true mediator and intercessor. “He told all the words of the Lord unto the people,” 1 Samuel 8:10; and, “He rehearsed all the words of the people in the ears of the Lord,” 1 Samuel 8:21. See also 1 Samuel 8:22. Samuel is fitly described in the Psalter as one who called upon God's name, Psalms 99:6. How much we may influence the life of a nation or of an individual if we will only pray with persistent and believing earnestness! We cannot dispense with our statesmen, but our prophets-the Samuels and the Elijahs-are the most efficient chariots and horsemen of protection, 2 Kings 2:12.

The people could not answer Samuel's grave and graphic words. They contented themselves with repeating their request, and soon they learned the bitterness of imposing their own will upon God. They would have a king, and God gave them their hearts' desire, but see Psalms 106:15. When Samuel had received God's reply, he set himself, with all his power, to further the matter, at all cost to himself. We are reminded of that noble reply of the Baptist in John 3:31. God's will ever first and supreme!

Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 8:10

1 Samuel 8:10-22

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,c 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.