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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
8:1-22 Transition to the Monarchy. Chapter 8 is a turning point in OT history, marking the transition from judgeship to kingship. The people want a change: up until now they had depended on the Lord to raise up judges to lead them as needed, but now they want a monarchy, "like all the nations" (v. 5). Why did they want a king? Of course, Samuel's sons were causing problems, but instead of rejecting hereditary judges and demanding that Samuel's sons be removed, they ask for a hereditary kingship. Probably they were feeling the threat of the Philistines and Ammonites (v. 20; 9:16; 10:5; 12:12), but the phrase "like all the nations" seems to be a key. Rather than following God's way for them, they preferred to follow the ways of the world around them. It was ultimately a rejection of the kingship of God (8:7).
8:1 he made his sons judges. Samuel himself may have contributed to the problem (see note on vv. 1-22) by appointing his sons as judges. There had not been hereditary judges before; Gideon had rejected the idea (Judg. 8:22-23).
8:2 Beersheba was the extreme south of Israel in traditional descriptions (cf. 3:20). It appears in stories of the patriarchs (Gen. 21:31; 22:19; 26:33; 46:1), and Amos denounced it, together with Bethel and Gilgal (Amos 5:5). A fortress has been discovered at Beersheba (Stratum VII) that belongs to the period of the judges. Its length is about
8:3 turned aside after gain . . . took bribes and perverted justice. When leaders use their office for self-enrichment, and as a result distort their decisions, they betray the fundamental purpose of judges and are a danger in all societies. Such practices are denounced over and over in the Bible (cf. Deut. 16:19; Ps. 26:10; Prov. 15:27; 17:23; Isa. 33:15; Ezek. 22:12; Amos 5:12; Hab. 1:2-4).
8:4-5 appoint for us a king . . . like all the nations. Samuel had appointed judges. The elders, recognizing his authority, ask for a king. (To judge can also carry the nuance "to govern.") They want to exchange their unique glory as the people of the incomparable God (2:2), who had brought them out of Egypt (8:8) and was even now protecting them (10:19), for status in the world, in order to be "like all the nations." The law had given permission, but not a requirement, to appoint a king (Deut. 17:14-20).
8:6 the thing displeased Samuel. Lit., "the thing was evil in Samuel's eyes." It was more than just a personal sense of rejection.
8:9-18 Solemnly warn them is a legal expression that implies giving someone full knowledge of an action. the ways of the king. The word translated "ways" (Hb. mishpat, "judgment, decision, rule, justice, custom") appears frequently in Samuel. In 2:13 it referred to the "customs" or "rights" of the priest (see note on 2:12-13; also Deut. 18:3, "this shall be the priest's due from the people"). In 1 Sam. 8:3, Samuel's sons "perverted mishpat." In 10:25, Samuel writes the mishpat of the king in a book. Here one might paraphrase it as "normal kingly ways." Some of these things were the normal cost of a central, standing administration, but others indicate a predictable abuse of power (see note on 8:14-15). There is no reason to think this passage comes from a later writer disillusioned with the Israelite monarchy.
8:11 Chariots had long been known in Canaan as instruments of war (Judg. 4:13 and Ugaritic texts). Later, David experimented with them, and Solomon used them regularly (2 Sam. 8:4; 1 Kings 4:26). Having men run before his chariots was a status symbol--both Absalom and Adonijah had a chariot and horses and horsemen and
8:12-13 The commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties were probably permanent officers over conscripted units--presumably military commanders were required due to the demand for a king to "fight our battles" (v. 20). To support this army, they need professionals to make weapons, provide food, and manufacture at least some comforts (perfumers and cooks and bakers; cf. "one of the perfumers," Neh. 3:8).
8:14-15 The best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards goes beyond what is needed for the administration of a government and predicts the corrupting influence of a king's power. Rather than serving the people without seeking self-enrichment (as Samuel did, 12:3-5), the king would use his power to "take" the best for himself (8:11-13) and those around him (vv. 14-15). Servants refers to high-ranking officials, as can be seen by seals that have been found inscribed with "servant of [King] X." As 22:7 shows, Saul would indeed make his "servants" commanders and give them agricultural properties.
8:17 you shall be his slaves. The climax of Samuel's solemn warning. The Israelites and all their possessions are subject to the king's use. Conscripted labor (cf. 1 Kings 5:13-16; 12:4, 18) would probably be the most onerous form of this "slavery."
8:19-21 "We," "us," and "our" appear frequently in this short speech. The king's functions are
