1 Samuel 8 · Verse 6

1 Samuel 8:6

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
1 Samuel 8:6, King James Version

1 Samuel 8:6 in other translations

BSBBut when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
WEBBut the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.
ASVBut the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.
YLTAnd the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, ‘Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah.
DARBYAnd the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.
BBEBut Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.
WebsterBut the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the LORD.

What does 1 Samuel 8:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 8:6-10
6-10. the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us--Personal and family feelings might affect his views of this public movement. But his dissatisfaction arose principally from the proposed change being revolutionary in its character. Though it would not entirely subvert their theocratic government, the appointment of a visible monarch would necessarily tend to throw out of view their unseen King and Head. God intimated, through Samuel, that their request would, in anger, be granted, while at the same time he apprised them of some of the evils that would result from their choice.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 The thing displeased Samuel - Because he saw that this amounted to a formal renunciation of the Divine government. Samuel prayed unto the Lord - He begged to know his mind in this important business.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 8:4-9

Samuel was displeased; he could patiently bear what reflected on himself, and his own family; but it displeased him when they said, Give us a king to judge us, because that reflected upon God. It drove him to his knees. When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well as our duty, to show our trouble before God. Samuel is to tell them that they shall have a king. Not that God was pleased with their request…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 8:4-9 →

1 Samuel 8:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּ֤רַעvai.Ye.ra'and it was displeasingH7489
הַדָּבָר֙ha.da.Varthe matterH1697
בְּעֵינֵ֣יbe.'ei.Neiin [the] eyes ofH5869
שְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka.'a.Sherjust whenH834
אָמְר֔וּ'a.me.Ruthey saidH559
תְּנָה\־te.nah-give !H5414
לָּ֥נוּLa.nuto <the> us
מֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekha kingH4428
לְשָׁפְטֵ֑נוּle.sha.fe.Te.nuto judge usH8199
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥לvai.yit.pa.Leland he prayedH6419
שְׁמוּאֵ֖לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוָֽה\׃\ \פYah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 8:6

  • 1 Samuel 15:11

    It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.

  • James 1:5

    If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

  • 1 Samuel 12:17

    Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king.

  • Exodus 32:21

    And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

  • Numbers 16:46

    And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.

  • Psalms 109:4

    For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

  • Exodus 32:32

    Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

  • Numbers 16:22

    And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

  • Ezra 9:3-5

    And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God,

  • Luke 6:11-12

    And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

  • Numbers 16:15

    And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

  • Philippians 4:6

    Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
displeased. Heb. was evil in the eyes of.
12:17
prayed.
15:11; Ex 32:21,32; Nu 16:15,22,46; Ezr 9:3-5; Ps 109:4
Lu 6:11,12; Php 4:6; Jas 1:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 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 8:6

    But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

  • 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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 8:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y descontentó á Samuel esta palabra que dijeron: Danos rey que nos juzgue. Y Samuel oró á Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et la chose fut mauvaise aux yeux de Samuel, qu’ils aient dit: Donne-nous un roi pour nous juger. Et Samuel pria l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und das Wort war übel in den Augen Samuels, als sie sprachen: Gib uns einen König, daß er uns richte! Und Samuel betete zu Jehova.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Displicuit sermo in oculis Samuelis, eo quod dixissent: Da nobis regem, ut judicet nos. Et oravit Samuel ad Dominum.