Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 8:7
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.
1Sa 8:7-9
Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee.
Prayer answered under protest
Prayer is certainly a most salutary exercise whenever one is agitated beyond his strength. When the elders of Israel came to Samuel he discovered that the complication was too deep for an old man like him to deal with; and so he went in prayer to God In thy end we shall learn that the petition of these malcontents was granted, but with the answer came retribution and ultimate dismay. Prayers are sometimes answered under protest Let us, then, move on at once in our search.
I. We shall have to begin with a fair and detailed exposition of the narrative as it meets us.
1. This verse, besides its bearing upon our main point, contains a valuable lesson of its own: Rejecting Divine Providence is rejecting Divine government and forfeiting Divine favour. There is no sense in a declaration that we accept Gods law in general, but reserve the right to practical freedom in reference to particulars. The end of all civil government, says an ancient thinker, writing for our times as wisely as for his own, is to live well according to the Divine pleasure. We are surely Christians, but in general, you know; not quite so particular as we might be, possibly, but with a decided respect for religion always. Now this will not do; Jesus Christ, is everything to a man, or He is nothing. In all human history there has never been a fitter leader to command our loyalty or to win our love. We have been told that the ancient Persian kings used to elect, for the education and training of their princes, the four best men in the kingdom–the justest man, the wisest man, the bravest man, and the most temperate man–so that each new sovereign might have the highest advantages, and come to the regal throne best fitted to rule over the people. Christ is the Prince of a kingdom that, is supreme in the universe. When the Providences of God summon us to follow Jesus as our Lord, to reject Him is also to reject the Lord that made us, and defy Him when He is most our friend.
2. You must bear in mind, also, as this narrative proceeds, that wilful disobedience, continuously repeated, becomes settled rebellion. The reply which Samuel received reminded him that this was not a new case of sudden refusal of the Divine sovereignty. That nation had actually got into the habit of it. They had never shown anything more commendable since they came up out of the land of Pharaoh; they proved an awkward and ungainly people when Moses was trying to manage them in the wilderness. When one throws off Gods beneficent restraints, it is surprising to see how awfully wicked he can be as in a moment of rapid demoralisation. Things apparently innocent are made the baleful occasion, sometimes even the instrument, of violent outbreak in vice. It is one of the intense severities of Montaigne to say of these atheistic people that they infect innocent matter with their own venom. Some sceptics like to do this in their reckless arguments. They force natural science, always loyal and reverent to the Creator of the universe, to speak a lie and bring false testimony against God. It is the deliberate counting out of Divine government which puts this universe in such a false position. The only effective manner in which to deal with such a dangerous experience is found in letting it have its own way until it shall be weary and worn with its follies and be ready to return penitently to God.
3. So now we come to the point that we started to reach. Human prayers are sometimes granted with a Divine protest. Solemn moment is that in which God gives to any man or nation in judgment what was asked of Him in petulance and pride! Now let us understand that circumstances may erect; a foreordained fact into a responsible sin, for which those who are the actors are to be held accountable in the end. The Lord said these malcontents in Israel might have their wish, and yet he charges on them the guilt the transaction involved. Furthermore, this very demand of the people had been foreseen and publicly predicted three hundred years before. And yet this whole proceeding was now wrong; it was premature and hasty, and it was conducted without reference to the over-ruling will of Jehovah. Gods Providence does not constrain any mans iniquity. Foreordination has nothing to do with free will. Those elders were doing their own behest, not Gods; and they suffered for it.
II. We turn now from this story to the one principle it so vividly illustrates. It is worth our while to press a valuable admonition like that which is given here. We are told to let our hearts go forth in prayer continually unto God, and God will grant us our desires. But here we learn that not even the answers we obtain are to be trusted always. What does this mean in real experience?
1. It means that all petitions are to be offered, and all desires are to be pressed, according to the Lords will before our will. If we thrust ourselves forward, Divine Providence will frequently hedge up the way. If now we urge on, sometimes the barrier is seen to move quietly away; then we can have our request if we continue to press it. But is this safe or wise? that is the sober question. It is the creature erecting itself against the supreme judgment of its Creator and taking its case into its own hands. When a man is intelligent, and his conscience tells him that God is not exactly granting, but only permitting, his prayer, is it best for him to persevere in it in the confident hope that courage will carry him through into safety?
2. And for another thing, this declaration means that under protest God grants a Christians prayer, the answer will be a positive discipline rather than a blessing. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 7. They have rejected me] They wish to put that government in the hands of a mortal, which was always in the hands of their GOD. But hearken unto their voice-grant them what they request. So we find God grants that in his displeasure which he withholds in his mercy.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hearken unto the voice of the people; God grants their desire in anger, and for their punishment, as is affirmed, Hos 13:11. Compare Num 22:13,20; Deu 1:22; Psa 77:20.
They have not rejected thee, i.e. not thee only, nor principally; compare Gen 32:28; Exo 16:7; Hos 6:6; Mat 10:20; but this injury and contumely reflects chiefly upon me and my government,
that I should not reign over them, to wit, by my immediate and peculiar government, which was the great honour, safety, and happiness of his people, if they had had wit to know it, or hearts to prize it. And all the infelicities of Israel, under this kind of government, did not proceed from the nature of the government, but from the ungovernableness and wickedness of the people, which, they might be sure, would produce the same or greater calamities under their kingly government.
Quest. First, Did not God reign over them when they had kings?
Answ. Yes, in a general way, but not in such a peculiar manner as he did by the judges, who were generally raised and called by Gods particular appointment, endowed and sanctified by his Spirit, directed and assisted by his special providence upon all emergencies; whereas all things were for the most part contrary in their kings.
Quest. Secondly, Was it simply unlawful for the people to desire a king?
Answ. No, as appears from Deu 17:14; but herein was their sin, that they desired it upon sinful grounds, of which see on 1Sa 8:7, and in an impetuous manner, and at an unseasonable time, and without asking leave or advice from God; which in so weighty and difficult a case they could not neglect without great sin.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 of them for their disloyalty and ingratitude, and as resenting their ill behaviour to him; for it was in anger he assented to their request, Ho 13:11
for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them; most interpreters supply the word “only”, as if the sense was, that they had not only rejected Samuel from judging them, but the Lord also from reigning over them; and which is spoken to comfort Samuel, and to alleviate the pressure on his mind for the ill treatment he had met with; for since they had served the Lord after this manner, it was no wonder he should be ill used, and might bear it with great patience: but I see no reason why the word may not be taken absolutely, that they had not rejected Samuel from all share in the government, at least from judging the people; for so he continued all the days of his life, even after they had a king over them; but they entirely rejected the sole and peculiar government of God over them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) Hearken unto the voice of the people.The words spoken to Samuel, probably in a vision, by the Most High are very touching and very sad. Very touching, in their extreme tenderness to the noble old man. Take courage, they seem to say, my old true servant, and be not dismayed at this apparently bitter proof of the ingratitude of the people you loved so well. This deliberate complaint on the part of Israel is directed not against you, the judge, but against Me, the invisible King. They have ever been the sameincapable of becoming my true subjects, and of winning on earth the lofty position I would have given them; you must give them now their hearts desire. It has all been foreseen and provided for; only make them understand what they are asking. Then give them their earthly king. Very sad, for it was the deliberate abandonment by the Eternal God of His first intention as regarded Israelthe deliberate lowering of the grand ideal once formed for His chosen people. Here, as is not unfrequent in the Divine records, we have a corner of the veil which hangs between the creature and the Creator lifted for a moment. We see how sadly possible it is for man in the exercise of his perfect freewill to mar the glorious work arranged for him by his God. We see too in the records of such a transaction as this (see Deu. 17:14) how all was foreseen by the King of heaven, and we catch sight of the sorrowful regretif we may use the termof the Creator for the perverse folly of His creatures.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. They have not rejected thee, but me These words imply that in his intercourse with Jehovah, Samuel had complained that the people had rejected him, and were dissatisfied with his administration; but it was rather against the Theocracy itself that their disaffection lay. They failed to understand or acknowledge that their misfortunes came not from lack of power and care on the part of Jehovah, but because of their own sins. Had they humbly and devoutly inquired the will of God in the matter, and asked for a governor after his own heart, and not after the model of the heathen powers, a most propitious change might have been effected in their form of government. To punish them for their ingratitude and disaffection he gave them a king in his anger, and took him away in his wrath. Hos 13:11.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
YHWH’s Response To Their Call For A King Was To Warn Them What Having A King Might Mean For Them ( 1Sa 8:7-22 ).
It is typical of sinful human beings that they did not recognise that having a king would involve a similar experience to the one that they had already experienced. Their very problems in the past had resulted from failing successors who had followed on after successful leaders. And they should have recognised that with kings that would happen constantly. But they were near sighted, and they were revealing that Canaanite traditions had taken possession of their hearts. They no longer thought theocratically. This Canaanite influence was seen elsewhere in the way in which they so easily turned to the worship of foreign gods. And it was also seen here in the way that they wanted a king. They did not like being shepherds. They wanted to be sheep.
Analysis.
a
b “Now therefore listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who will reign over them” (1Sa 8:9).
c And Samuel told all the words of YHWH to the people who asked of him a king, and He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons, and appoint them to him for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots” (1Sa 8:11).
d “And he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties, and to plough his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots” (1Sa 8:12).
e “And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers” (1Sa 8:13).
f “And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants” (1Sa 8:14).
f “And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants” (1Sa 8:15).
e “And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your finest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work” (1Sa 8:16).
d “He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his servants” (1Sa 8:17).
c “And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH will not answer you in that day” (1Sa 8:18)
b But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over 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” (1Sa 8:19-20).
a And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of YHWH. And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go you every man to his city” (1Sa 8:21-22).
Note that in ‘a’ Samuel was to listen to the voice of the people in all that they said to him (their request for a king) and in the parallel he was to listen to their voice and make them a king. In ‘b’ they are to be shown what manner of king they will discover that they have, and in the parallel they declare that they do know, for he will be like the kings of all the nations round about. In ‘c’ He begins to describe the glories that the king will take for himself, and in the parallel warns that they will groan under his requirements. In ‘d’ He describes the service that will be required of them, and that he will take of their time to plough his fields, and in the parallel tells that they will be his servants, and that he will take a tenth of their flocks. In ‘e’ he will set their daughters to work and in the parallel he will take their servants and their young men. In ‘f’ He will take their best fields and vineyards and oliveyards and will give them to his courtiers, and in the parallel he will take a tenth of their seed and of their vineyards and give them to his officers and courtiers.
1Sa 8:7
‘ And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.”
YHWH knew the true heart of the people. The ‘golden age’ under Samuel had resulted in their again becoming apathetic in their attitude towards Him. They felt that things were good now, and they wanted to keep them that way, and yet not be too restricted in the way that they lived. They felt that they had found the right balance between keeping YHWH satisfied and at the same time enjoying the good things of life. And like many societies after them, they had a dream that once they had the right leadership in place things would go well. They were naturally unaware of the adage, ‘power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ which might have acted as a warning to them. Thus they were rejecting their long tradition of decentralised leadership for a leader who would bind them together as one whole, but who could become corrupt
They overlooked the fact that the system of decentralised leadership, inherited from the tribal system combined with YHWH’s provision of the covenant, had kept them a free people, at least within their own society. But that system of decentralised leadership had only been successful because YHWH Himself had been its centre through the Tabernacle and its priesthood, and through His prophets. All had looked to Him as their King. And it only worked when they did so. Now that that was to be set aside things would be different. And they did not realise what they were losing.
But YHWH knew what they were losing. And He knew that the reason for it was because they were rejecting the essential heart of the covenant, and in essence were rejecting His overlordship. From now on they would have divided loyalty, and God knew that in such a circumstance He would come off second best. Thus, as He reluctantly acquiesced with their request, He made clear to Samuel that it was not he, Samuel, whom they were rejecting, it was Himself. The problem was that they no longer wanted to be under His rule. They no longer wanted Him as their king. Their religious dedication was half hearted.
1Sa 8:8
“ In accordance with all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you.”
And He pointed out that this was not new. Indeed it had been the tendency of the hearts of His people ever since He had brought them out of Egypt. Since then they had constantly forsaken Him and served other gods. And in a similar way they were now rejecting all that Samuel had brought them (‘so they do also to you’). And they were replacing YHWH’s authority with that of a man’s. From now on their response to YHWH would on the whole very much depend on who was their king.
1Sa 8:9
“ Now therefore listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”
So Samuel was to listen to them and grant their request. However, before doing so he was to reveal to them exactly what will be involved in having ‘a king like the nations’.
1Sa 8:10
‘ And Samuel told all the words of YHWH to the people who asked of him a king.’
So Samuel returned to the elders who had asked of him a king and told them all the words of YHWH. He pointed out that YHWH was giving them a choice, and was warning them of the consequences of making the wrong choice.
1Sa 8:11-12
‘ And he said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons, and appoint them to him for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots (see 2Sa 15:1; 1Ki 1:5), and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties. And he will set some to plough his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.” ’
The first requirement that this king will have will be concerning his own splendour. The picture is firmly based on the lifestyle of Canaanite kings. He will want ceremonial chariots, and horsemen, and it will be their sons who will drive his chariots and be his horsemen, ever at his beck and call. And some will be appointed to run before the chariots proclaiming that the king is coming. Others will be made captains of military units, both large and small. Still others will be called on to plough his fields and reap his harvests, thus either losing their own land, or having far less time to work on it. And yet others would be set to making his instruments of war and all the requirements for his chariots. It would introduce a totally new subservient lifestyle, along with any punishments that the king decided to mete out.
1Sa 8:13
“ And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.”
And the splendour of his court will require their daughters to become perfumers, cooks and bakers. They will become lower palace servants, again subject to his discipline, and all the temptations of a royal court.
1Sa 8:14
“ And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.”
But worse. He will want to reward his favourites. And in order to do this he will take the very best of their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and will give them to his favourite courtiers. They will not have any choice in the matter. It will be required of them. And they will have no one to whom to appeal.
1Sa 8:15
“ And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.”
And he will put a tax on them and require one tenth of the product of their seed and their vineyards so that he can pay his officers and reward his favourite courtiers.
1Sa 8:16
“ And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your finest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.”
And he will take their servants for himself, and especially their finest young men (as he has previously taken their daughters – 1Sa 8:13), and also their asses and set them to work for him.
LXX has ‘cattle’ instead of ‘young men’ which requires only a slight change in the Hebrew text and would be more in line with Deu 5:14. On the other hand ‘young men’ is a good parallel for ‘your daughters’ in the chiasmus, and is the more difficult reading. Thus we should retain ‘young men’.
1Sa 8:17
“ He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his servants.”
And he will want a tenth of their flocks, and will make them his slaves. They will have lost their rights as free men under YHWH. All will be subject to the king.
1Sa 8:18
“ And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH will not answer you in that day.”
And when in the midst of their distress they cry out, as they inevitably will, they will have no one to cry to. For YHWH will no longer be their King, and will no longer answer them and interfere between them and the king. They will have chosen the rod for their own backs.
Part of what is said might not sound so bad to us. We might even compare it to our own society and look on it favourably. But we must remember that the working conditions, and the length of time that they would have to work daily, and the amount that they would be paid (if at all), would not be regulated except by the king, and scant regard would be had to many of them. And above all that they could not resign and walk away. We must measure their total loss of freedom by the freedom that was once theirs and was guaranteed to them by YHWH, and which while they were obedient to YHWH made life so worth while. All the miseries of the future are in fact being described in these words. And they could all be observed by looking more carefully under the surface at the Canaanites round about them.
It would in fact not be quite so bad for Israel as for other nations because they would still have the covenant Law, and heed would be taken to the priests and the elders, but it would certainly gradually become a different, and harsher, type of society.
1Sa 8:19
‘ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but we will have a king over 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.” ’
However, the people were quite adamant, in spite of the fact that it was being made clear to them that at this time He did not desire them to have a king. They blatantly refused to listen to Samuel’s words, and said, ‘No, we will have a king over us so that we can be like all the other nations and so that he may judge us (rule over us) and go out before us and fight our battles.’ Fear of the Philistines once Samuel was dead may well have been partly at the root of their request. Without Samuel they were not quite so sure that YHWH would intervene for them, whereas they could be sure that a king would always be there. But there was clearly also a desire to be like the other nations. They envied the sophisticated nations around them who seemed to be doing so well (they did not look at the failures. That was for pessimists) and they wanted to be like them.
1Sa 8:21
‘ And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he went over them in the ears of YHWH.’
Having heard what they had to say Samuel went back to YHWH and went over with Him all that they had said (there was clearly much more that had been said than is recorded for us above).
1Sa 8:22
‘ And YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go you every man to his city.”
YHWH then instructed Samuel to give them their wish. If they would not listen they must learn the lesson the hard way. So He tells Samuel to listen to what they are saying and give them a king. And He no doubt already had His man in mind.
The question that as far as Samuel was concerned would now have to be resolved was as to whom that king would be. Upset though he was Samuel wanted to do his best for them. So he told the elders to return to their cities while he took the matter in hand. He would consult with YHWH on the matter.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Sa 8:7. They have rejected me, &c. Samuel had now, by a wise and painful direction of affairs, restored the purity of religion, and rescued the nation from the power of the Philistines, and their other hostile neighbours, against whom they were utterly unable to make head when he entered upon the administration. At this very time, the people, debauched as usual by power and prosperity, took the pretence of the corrupt conduct of the prophet’s two sons, to go in a tumultuous manner and demand a king: but the secret spring of their rebellion was the ambition of their leaders, who could live no longer without the splendor of a regal court and household. Give me, say they, in Hos 13:10 a king and princes, where every one of them might shine a distinguished officer of state. They could get nothing when their affairs led them to their judges’ poor residence, in the schools of the prophets, but the GIFT of the Holy Spirit; which a courtier, I suppose, would not prize even at the rate at which Simon Magus held it, of a paltry piece of money. This it was, and this only, that made their demand criminal; for the choosing regal rather than aristocratic viceroys, was a thing plainly indulged to them by the law of Moses. Deu 17:14-15. Div. Leg. vol. 4: p. 80.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(7) 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) 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) Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
Those verses throw a great light on the scripture-history concerning Saul. The reign of Saul between the government of Samuel and David: plainly shows that what the Lord said by the prophet Hosea concerning this man, was in judgment: I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. And this was added to the Lord’s declaration, in which be had said, I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? Hos 13:10-11 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 8:7 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.
Ver. 7. Hearken unto the voice of the people. ] Verba sunt irati, these words were uttered in anger, as appeareth by Hos 13:11 , q.d., Let them have a king, since they will needs have it so, but they shall soon have enough of him. Deus saepe dat iratus, quod negat propitius. It is not safe to prescribe to God, nor to be too importunate for any temporal blessing. Those in the gospel that indented for a penny a day had it, but had no good content with it.
For they have not rejected thee.
a Plutarch.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Hearken: Num 22:20, Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12, Isa 66:4, Hos 13:10, Hos 13:11
they have not: 1Sa 10:19, 1Sa 12:17-19, Exo 16:8, Mat 10:24, Mat 10:25, Mat 10:40, Luk 10:16, Luk 19:14, Luk 19:27, Joh 13:16, Joh 15:20, Joh 15:21
Reciprocal: Gen 21:12 – hearken Exo 18:23 – God Num 16:11 – against Jdg 8:23 – the Lord 1Sa 8:22 – General 1Sa 12:12 – when the Lord Jer 7:25 – the day Jer 34:14 – but Eze 2:3 – rebelled Eze 3:7 – Israel will Hos 11:2 – they called Mar 8:31 – rejected Luk 17:25 – rejected Joh 12:48 – rejecteth Act 5:4 – thou hast Act 7:35 – Moses Act 7:52 – Which of Act 15:2 – should Act 22:8 – whom Rom 10:21 – a disobedient 1Th 4:8 – despiseth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 8:7. The Lord said, Hearken unto the people, &c. He grants their desire in anger, for their punishment. For these, it is plain, are the words of displeasure, being as much as to say, Let them have their will. Samuel took it very ill that they should be dissatisfied with his government: but God tells him that he himself had more reason to be angry. For, in truth, they had thrown off his authority who was their king, as Samuel tells them afterward, 1Sa 12:12; and who had governed them by judges, whom he raised up and extraordinarily inspired when he saw occasion; as he had before conducted them by Moses and Joshua, who never ordained any thing of moment without a special command from God. They have not rejected thee Merely or chiefly. They have rejected me This injury and contumely reflects chiefly upon me and my government. Should not reign By my immediate government, which was the great honour, safety, and happiness of this people, if they had had hearts to prize it.