20140325 Tuesday, March 25 2014
1 Samuel 08: Our King May Judge Us

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"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"

The English word "king" originated from an Anglo-Saxon word that meant the head of a kin i.e. the father of a family. The word "patriotism" literally means faithful to the father i.e. the head of the kin, the king.

The Hebrew word, pronounced meh-lek, originally also meant the father of a family. By the actual definition of the word, the first "king" of the people of Israel was Jacob, the father of the Israelites (see A Biography Of Jacob: The Jacobites Of Syria and Genesis 46: The First Census Of Israel).

It is from the original meaning of the word "king" that we read of kings of cities. Some family and tribal encampments grew into fortified cities with the head of the family as the "king." As such, for example, the first people of Sodom and Gomorrah each originated primarily from a single family, just as the Israelites did. "14:2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar." (Genesis 14:2 KJV; see also Genesis 19: Fire And Brimstone Upon Sodom And Gomorrah).

During the lifetime of Jacob/Israel, and for four hundred years after, the Israelites lived under the rule of the kings of Egypt (the word "Pharaoh" originally meant the Egyptian king's palace - but later came to be used to refer to the king himself). The Israelites grew into a multitude and prospered greatly under many kings of Egypt during their time there (see Exodus 1: I Will There Make Of Thee A Great Nation) - except for just one. They did so well that the Egyptian Pharaoh just before the Exodus came to fear the Israelites in his country - which after four centuries the Israelites also regarded as their native-born country (the primary reason that they wanted to go "home" from the wilderness of the Sinai after the Exodus). It was out of fear of the Israelites that the Exodus Pharaoh oppressed the Israelite multitude (see Deuteronomy 24: How Long Were They Slaves?).

Throughout the time of Moses, the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) was the King of Israel, with Moses (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Moses), and then Joshua (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Joshua), serving as the Prime Minister.

After the passing of Joshua, the Israelites became corrupt in their obedience and faithfulness to the LORD, their King - until they fully rebelled. Hence, "17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6 KJV). It was for that reason that the LORD raised up deliverance "Judges" (see Judges 2: The Rise Of The Judges) - of which Samuel was the last (see 1 Samuel 3: The Calling Of Samuel). Samuel's sons would have succeeded him, but, as happened to Eli (see 1 Samuel 2: The Prophecy Of The House Of Eli), Samuel's "sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment."

"8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment." (1 Samuel 8:1-3 KJV)

The elders of Israel then demanded that Samuel establish a human monarchy in Israel.

"8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 8:5 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." (1 Samuel 8:4-5 KJV)

Samuel was a faithful man of the LORD. He recognized the LORD as the King, so "Samuel prayed unto the LORD." The LORD's answer was "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."

"8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 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. 8:8 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. 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.

8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 8:11 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. 8:12 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. 8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 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. 8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 8:18 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.

8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 8:20 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.

8:21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

8:22 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." (1 Samuel 8:6-22 KJV)

Fact Finder: Samuel's sons were rejected because they "turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment." What is "lucre"?
See What Does The Bible Say About Lucre?