Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 8:9
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.
9. Now therefore hearken ] Or, And now. There is no inference ‘because they reject me and thee, therefore, &c.,’ but the command of 1Sa 8:7 is repeated. For the reasons why the request was granted, see Introduction, ch. iv. 4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. Show them the manner of the king] The word mishpat, which we here render manner, signifies simply what the king would and might require, according to the manner in which kings in general ruled; all of whom, in those times, were absolute and despotic.
The whole of this manner of the king is well illustrated by Puffendorf. “Hitherto,” says he, “the people of Israel had lived under governors raised up of God, who had exacted no tribute of them, nor put them to any charge; but, little content with this form of government. they desire to have a king like other nations, who should live in magnificence and pomp, keep armies, and be able to resist any invasion. Samuel informs them what it was they desired; that when they understood it, they might consider whether they would persist in their choice If they would have a king splendidly attended, he tells them that he would take their sons for his chariots, c. if they would have him keep up constant forces, then he would appoint them for colonels and captains, and employ those in his wars who were accustomed to follow their family business; and since, after the manner of other kings, he must keep a stately court, they must be content that their daughters should serve in several offices, which the king would think below the dignity of his wives and daughters, 1Sa 8:13. Many ministers also, in several departments, both of war and peace, must have salaries to support them, which must be paid out of their fields and vineyards, 1Sa 8:14. In one word, that to sustain his dignity their king would exact the tenth of all they possessed, and be maintained in a royal manner out of their estates,”
It is perfectly vain in Grotius, or any one else, to state that this shows what a king, as king, may any where in virtue of his office, claim and exact; and that he can take the property and persons of his subjects, and dispose of them as he may judge necessary for the exigence of the state. This was the manner of Saul, but Saul was not a king of God’s choosing: “He gave him in his wrath, and took him away in his displeasure;” and the manner of such a king should not be arrogated by any potentate who affects to rule jure divino, by Divine right. The manner of the king of God’s choice is distinctly detailed, De 17:15-20, to which the reader will do well to refer, that he may have an impartial statement of the subject.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Protest solemnly unto them; that, if it be possible, thou mayst yet prevent their sin and misery.
The manner of the king, i.e. of the kings which they desire, like the kings of other nations. He speaks not of the just authority, or the right of their kings, but of their practice, as is evident from divers of the following particulars, which are expressly forbidden and condemned in Scripture, as we shall see.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 it was made; the Lord would have Samuel lay before them their evil in requesting it, and the evils that would follow upon it to them, and faithfully represent them to them, that they might be left without excuse, and have none to blame but themselves when they, should come upon them:
and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them: or the right or judgment z; not a legal right or form of government, but an assumed, arbitrary, and despotic power, such as the kings of the east exercised over their subjects, a king like whom the Israelites desired to have; namely, what unbounded liberties he would take with them, what slaves he would make of them, and what of their property he would take to himself at pleasure, as is after related. The word signifies, not a divine law, according to which the king should govern, but a custom, or a custom he would introduce, as the word is rendered, 1Sa 2:13 and is different from that in 1Sa 10:25.
z “jus regis”, V. L. Tigurine version, Munster; “judicium regis”, Vatablus, Drusius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In order to show them wherein they were wrong, Samuel was instructed to bear witness against them, by proclaiming the right of the king who would rule over them. neither means “warn them earnestly” (De Wette), nor “explain and solemnly expound to them” (Thenius). means to bear witness, or give testimony against a person, i.e., to point out to him his wrong. The following words, , are to be understood as explanatory, in the sense of “ by proclaiming to them.” “ The manner ( mishpat) of the king ” is the right or prerogative which the king would claim, namely, such a king as was possessed by all the other nations, and such an one as Israel desired in the place of its own God-king, i.e., a king who would rule over his people with arbitrary and absolute power.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
9. Protest solemnly Their ill-judged notions of a monarchy needed rebuke, and a monarchical form of government has its peculiar dangers. Israel must not take the responsibility of adopting that form of government without solemn warning as to the possible, and even probable, consequences.
The manner of the king The powers and privileges which a king will think it his right to exercise. See next verse.
That shall reign over them If we render this, as is equally proper, that may reign over them, the sense will be more plain. The Lord would fully warn his people of the possible dangers of a human monarchy, but he does not say that the king must necessarily, or would certainly, exercise despotic power and purposely afflict the people. It is clear from this passage that Jehovah did not favour Israel’s adoption of a monarchical form of government. But his wisdom and power did not interfere with their free action. The nation had long suffered from the neglect to fix upon a central place of worship, and the lack of a strong national government, whose proper authority should be heeded in every part of the land.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 8:9 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.
Ver. 9. Now therefore hearken. ] See 1Sa 8:7 .
Protest solemnly unto them.
And show them the manner of the king.
a Arist., De Politic., p. 3.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hearken unto: or, obey
howbeit: etc. or, notwithstanding when thou hast solemnly protested against them, then thou shalt shew, etc. Eze 3:18
the manner: 1Sa 8:11-18, 1Sa 2:13, 1Sa 10:25, 1Sa 14:52, Eze 45:7, Eze 45:8, Eze 46:18
Reciprocal: Gen 21:12 – hearken 1Sa 10:1 – captain 2Ki 17:26 – know not Jer 11:7 – I earnestly 1Co 15:31 – protest
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet {e} protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
(e) To prove if they will forsake their wicked purpose.