1 Samuel 8 · Verse 9

1 Samuel 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.
1 Samuel 8:9, King James Version

1 Samuel 8:9 in other translations

BSBNow listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”
WEBNow therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”
ASVNow therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
YLTAnd now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.'
DARBYAnd now hearken unto their voice; only, testify solemnly unto them, and declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
BBEGive ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.
WebsterNow therefore hearken to their voice: yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king that will reign over them.

What does 1 Samuel 8:9 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…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 8:6-10 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Show them the manner of the king - The word משפט 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, etc.; 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, 1Sam 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, 1Sam 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, Deu 17:15-20, to which the reader will do well to refer, that he may have an impartial statement of the subject.

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 8:9 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.

וְעַתָּ֖הve.'a.Tahand nowH6258
שְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'listenH8085
בְּקוֹלָ֑םbe.ko.Lamto voice theirH6963
אַ֗ךְ'AkhneverthelessH389
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הָעֵ֤דha.'Edcertainly <to warn>H5749
תָּעִיד֙ta.'Idyou will warnH5749
בָּהֶ֔םba.Hem<in> <the> them
וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ve.hi.gad.Taand you will tellH5046
לָהֶ֔םla.Hemto <the> them
מִשְׁפַּ֣טmish.Pat[the] right[s] ofH4941
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhoH834
יִמְלֹ֖ךְyim.Lokhhe will reignH4427
עֲלֵיהֶֽם\׃\ \ס'a.lei.Hemover themH5921

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 8:9

  • 1 Samuel 10:25

    Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

  • 1 Samuel 8:11-18

    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. 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. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. …

  • Ezekiel 46:18

    Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.

  • Ezekiel 3:18

    When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

  • Ezekiel 45:7-8

    And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border. In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

  • 1 Samuel 2:13

    And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

  • 1 Samuel 14:52

    And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hearken unto. or, obey. howbeit, etc. or, notwithstandingwhen thou hast solemnly protested against them, then thou shalt shew, etc.
Eze 3:18
the manner.
11-18; 2:13; 10:25; 14:52; Eze 45:7,8; 46:18

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 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.

  • 1 Samuel 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.

  • 1 Samuel 8:10

    And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.

Read all of 1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 8:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ahora pues, oye su voz: mas protesta contra ellos declarándoles el derecho del rey que ha de reinar sobre ellos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et maintenant, écoute leur voix; seulement tu leur rendras clairement témoignage, et tu leur annonceras le régime du roi qui régnera sur eux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun höre auf ihre Stimme; nur zeuge ernstlich wider sie und tue ihnen die Weise des Königs kund, der über sie herrschen wird.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nunc ergo vocem eorum audi: verumtamen contestare eos, et prædic eis jus regis, qui regnaturus est super eos.