1 Samuel 8:10-22 – God and Government

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 04 Oct 2020

Introduction

1) “A King like the Nations” Will Be “On The Take” (vs. 11-13)

2) “A King Like the Nations” Will redistribute Wealth (vs.14-15)

3) “A King Like The Nations” Will Treat Citizens Like Slaves (vs.16-17)

Israel’s Choice (vs. 18-22)

Conclusion

We can’t avoid living under some form of government. We also can’t avoid the fact that God cares about government and is sovereign over all governments. So, as God’s people, let us seek to influence our government in the direction of God’s word. We can begin by examining the legislators and executives and judges who will be on your ballot according to these principles from 1 Samuel:

  1. Do they recognize and seek accountability to the authority of God? Are they a member of a church? Do they support their positions with the Bible?

  2. Do they oppose increasing the size and power of centralized government? Are they content, or are they talking about big new programs?

  3. Do they resist redistributing wealth through the government? Do they honor the private ownership of property and leave charity to the church and family to conduct through personal relationships?

  4. Do they treat citizens as free persons, allowing them to make as many decisions for themselves as possible, or are they for passing lots of new laws to further regulate everything?

  5. There are, of course other issues which other parts of scripture highlight, such as protecting human life, which should also be considered.

And since such candidates are rare, ask God to raise some up, then ask Him if you should run for office in a future election and seek to bring these Biblical values into our government!

Appendix: Further Excursus on God And Government

1 Samuel 8Side-by-side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton (LXX)

DRB (Vulgate)

KJV

NAW

Masoretic Txt

1 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐγήρασεν Σαμουηλ, καὶ κατέστησεν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ δικαστὰς τῷ Ισραηλ.

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

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.

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

1 Now, when Samuel became old, he then instated his sons to be judges for Israel:

1 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר זָקֵן שְׁמוּאֵל וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-בָּנָיו שֹׁפְטִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל:

2 καὶ ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ· πρωτότοκος Ιωηλ, καὶ ὄνομα τοῦ δευτέρου Αβια, δικασταὶ ἐν Βηρσαβεε.

2 And these are the names of his sons; Joel the first-born, and the name of the second Abia, judges in Bersabee.

2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel: and the name of the second was Abia, judges in Bersabee.

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

2 the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second-born was Abijah, and they began presiding as judges in Beersheba.

2 וַיְהִי שֶׁם-בְּנוֹ הַבְּכוֹר יוֹאֵל וְשֵׁם מִשְׁנֵהוּ אֲבִיָּה שֹׁפְטִים בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע:

3 καὶ οὐκ ἐπορεύ­θησαν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξ­έκλιναν ὀπίσω τῆς συντελείαςB καὶ ἐλάμβανον δῶρα καὶ ἐξέκλινον δικαιώματα.

3 And his sons did not walk in his way; and they turned aside after gain, and took gift[s], and perverted judgment[s].

3 And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribe[s], and perverted judgment.

3 But his sons did not conduct themselves in the way he [did], for they went off-course after profit; they would even take a bribe and thus take justice off-course.

3 וְלֹא-הָלְכוּ בָנָיו בְּדַרְכוֹC וַיִּטּוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבָּצַע וַיִּקְחוּ-שֹׁחַד וַיַּטּוּ מִשְׁפָּט: פ

4 καὶ συναθροίζον­ται ἄνδρες Ισραηλ καὶ παραγίνονται εἰς Αρμαθαιμ πρὸς Σαμουηλ

4 And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,

4 Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled came to Samuel to Ramatha.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

4 So all the elders of Israel assembled themselves together and went to Samuel at Ramah,

4 וַיִּתְקַבְּצוּ כֹּל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל- שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתָה:

5 καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ Ἰδοὺ σὺ γεγήρακας, καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου οὐ πορεύονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου· [καὶ] νῦν κατάστησον ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς καθὰ [καὶ] τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη.

5 and they said to him, Behold, thou art grown old, and thy sons walk not in thy way; [and] now set over us a king to judge us, as [also] the other nations have.

5 And they said to him: Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: X make us a king, to judge us, as all nations [have].

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.

5 and said to him, “Look, you have gotten old, and your sons have not conducted themselves in the way you [have], so instate for us a king now to preside as judge over us like all the nations [do].”

5 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הִנֵּה אַתָּה זָקַנְתָּ וּבָנֶיךָ לֹא הָלְכוּ בִּדְרָכֶיךָ Dעַתָּה שִׂימָה-לָּנוּ מֶלֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵנוּ כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם:

6 καὶ ἦν πονηρὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν ὀφθαλ­μοῖς Σαμουηλ, ὡς εἶπαν Δὸς ἡμῖν βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς· καὶ προσηύξ­ατο Σαμουηλ πρὸς κύριον.

6 And the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord.

6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, that they should say: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

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

6 But the proposal was bad in Samu­el’s eyes, particularly when they said, “Give us a king to preside as judge over us,” so Samuel prayed to Yahweh.

6 וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי שְׁמוּאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ תְּנָה-לָּנוּ מֶלֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵנוּ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-יְהוָה: פ

7 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαμουηλ Ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ λαοῦ καθὰ X ἂν λαλήσωσίν σοι· ὅτι οὐ σὲ ἐξουθενή­κασινE, [ἀλλ᾿] ἢ ἐμὲ ἐξουδενώκασιν τοῦ μὴ βασιλεύειν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear the voice of the people, in whatever they shall say to thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me from reigning over them.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, HearkenF 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.

7 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Give heed to the voice of the people, concerning all that they say to you, for it is not you that they have rejected, rather it is me that they have rejected from being king over them.

7 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמַע בְּקוֹל הָעָם לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ כִּי לֹא אֹתְךָ מָאָסוּ כִּי-אֹתִי מָאֲסוּ מִמְּלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם:

8 κατὰ πάντα τὰ ποιήματα, ἃ ἐποίη­σάν [μοι] ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμέρας ἀνήγαγον αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἕως X τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης καὶ ἐγκατέ­λιπόν με καὶ ἐδούλ­ευον θεοῖς ἑτέροις, οὕτως αὐτοὶ ποιοῦσιν καὶ σοί.

8 According to all their doings which they have done [to me], from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day, even as they have deserted me, and served other gods, so they do also to thee.

8 According to all their works, they have done from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day: as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee.

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 Therefore, they are doing also to you like all the doings which they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day when they have forsaken me and have served other gods.

8 כְּכָל-הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר-עָשׂוּ מִיּוֹם הַעֲלֹתִי אֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִםG וְעַד-הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וַיַּעַזְבֻנִי וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים כֵּן הֵמָּה עֹשִׂים גַּם-לָךְ:

9 καὶ νῦν ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν· πλὴν ὅτι διαμαρτυρ­όμεν­ος διαμαρτύρῃ αὐ­τοῖς καὶ ἀπαγγελ­εῖς αὐ­τοῖς τὸ δικαί­ωμα τοῦ βασιλέως, ὃς βασιλ­εύ­σει ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς.

9 And now hearken to their voice; only thou shalt solemnly testify to them, and thou shalt describe to them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.

9 Now, therefore, hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protestH solemnly un­to them, and shewI them the man­nerJ of the king that shall reign over them.

9 So now, give heed to their voice but still see to it that you sol­emnly testify to them and explain to them the justice-system of the king who will reign over them.”

9 וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם אַךְ כִּי-הָעֵד תָּעִיד בָּהֶם וְהִגַּדְתָּ לָהֶםK מִשְׁפַּט הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם: ס

10 καὶ εἶπεν Σαμ­ου­ηλ πᾶν τὸ ῥῆμα κυρ­ίου πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοὺς αἰτοῦν­τας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ βασιλέα

10 And Samuel spoke every word of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king.

10 Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people that had desired a king of him,

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

10 So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who had asked for a king from him,

10 וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵת כָּל-דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה אֶל-הָעָם הַשֹּׁאֲלִים מֵאִתּוֹ מֶלֶךְ: ס

11 καὶ εἶπεν Τοῦτο ἔσται τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ βασιλέως, ὃς βασιλεύσει ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς· τοὺς υἱοὺς ὑμῶν λήμψεται καὶ θήσεται X αὐτοὺς ἐν ἅρμασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἱππεῦσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ προτρέχοντας τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτοῦ

11 And he said, This shall be the manner of the king that shall rule over you: he shall take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and among his horsemen, and running before his chariots,

11 And said: This will be the right of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and will make them his horse­men, and his running [footmen, to run] before his chariots,

11 And he said, This will be the man­ner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appointL them for himself, for his chariot[s], and to be X his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariot[s].

11 and he said, “This will be the justice-sys­tem of the king who will reign over y’all: He will take your sons and instate them for himself among his cavalry and among his horses – and they will be running in front of his cavalry –

11 וַיֹּאמֶר זֶה יִהְיֶה מִשְׁפַּט הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם אֶת-בְּנֵיכֶם יִקָּח וְשָׂם לוֹ בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּוֹM וּבְפָרָשָׁיו וְרָצוּN לִפְנֵי מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ:

12 καὶ θέσθαι [αὐ­τοὺς] ἑαυτῷ χιλι­άρχους καὶ ἑκατοντ­άρχουςO καὶ θερίζειν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ τρυγᾶν τρυγητὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιεῖν σκεύη πολεμ­ικὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ σκεύη ἁρμάτων αὐτοῦ·

12 and [his manner shall be] to make [them] to himself captains of hundreds and captains of thou­sands; and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and prepare his instruments of war, and the implements of his chariots.

12 And he will appoint of them to be his tribunes, and his centurions, and to plough his fields, and to reap his corn, and to make him arms and chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fif­ties; and will set them to earP his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instrumentsQ of his chariot[s].

12 and to instate for himself army-officers – colonels to captains of fifties, and to be plowmen for his plowing and to be harvesters for his harvesting and to be makers of weapons for his army and weapons for his cavalry.

12 וְלָשׂוּם לוֹ שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁיםR וְלַחֲרֹשׁ חֲרִישׁוֹS וְלִקְצֹר קְצִירוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלֵי-מִלְחַמְתּוֹ וּכְלֵי רִכְבּוֹT:

13 καὶ τὰς θυγατέρ­ας ὑμῶν λήμψεται εἰς μυρεψοὺς καὶ εἰς μαγειρίσσας καὶ εἰς πεσσούσας·

13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.

13 Your daughters also he will take to make him ointments, and to be his cooks, and bakers.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionariesU, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

13 He will even take y’all’s daughters for spice-mixers and for meat-preparers and for bakers.

13 וְאֶת-בְּנוֹתֵיכֶם יִקָּח לְרַקָּחוֹת וּלְטַבָּחוֹתV וּלְאֹפוֹת:

14 καὶ τοὺς ἀγροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας ὑμῶν καὶ τοὺς ἐλαιῶνας ὑμῶν τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς λήμψεται καὶ δώσει τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ·

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good oliveyards, and give them to his servants.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyardsW, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

14 And he will take the best of y’all’s fields and of your vineyards and your olive-trees, and he will give [them] to his staff-members.

14 וְאֶת-שְׂדוֹתֵיכֶם וְאֶת-כַּרְמֵיכֶם וְזֵיתֵיכֶם הַטּוֹבִים יִקָּח וְנָתַן לַעֲבָדָיו:

15 καὶ τὰ σπέρμ­αταX ὑμῶν καὶ τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας ὑμῶν ἀποδεκατώσει καὶ δώσει τοῖς εὐνούχ­οις αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ·

15 And he will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

15 Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn, and of the revenues of your vineyards, to give to his eunuchs and servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seedXY, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

15 Furthermore, he will assess 10% of y’all’s grains and y’all’s grapes and give [that] to his officers and to his staff-members.

15 וְזַרְעֵיכֶם וְכַרְמֵיכֶם יַעְשֹׂר וְנָתַן לְסָרִיסָיוZ וְלַעֲבָדָיו:

16 καὶ τοὺς δού­λους ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς δού­λας ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ βουκόλ­ια ὑμῶν τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ τοὺς ὄνους ὑμῶν λήμψ­εται καὶ ἀπο­δεκατ­­σει εἰς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ

16 And he will take your servants, and your handmaids, and your good herds and your asses, and will take the tenth of them for his works.

16 X Your servants also, and handmaids, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, he will take away, and put them to his work.

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

16 He will even take y’all’s men-servants and y’all’s maid-servants and y’all’s best oxen and y’all’s donkeys and use them for his work.

16 וְאֶת-עַבְדֵיכֶם וְאֶת-שִׁפְחוֹתֵיכֶםAA וְאֶת-בַּחוּרֵיכֶםBB הַטּוֹבִים וְאֶת-חֲמוֹרֵיכֶם יִקָּח וְעָשָׂהCC לִמְלַאכְתּוֹ:

17 καὶ τὰ ποίμνια ὑμῶν ἀποδεκατώ­σει· καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε αὐτῷ δοῦλοι.

17 And he will tithe your flocks; and ye shall be his servants.

17 Your flocks also he will tithe, and you shall be his servants.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheepDD: and ye shall be his servants.

17 He will also assess 10% of y’all’s sheep, and you yourselves will turn into servants for him.

17 EEצֹאנְכֶם יַעְשֹׂר וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ-לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים:

18 καὶ βοήσεσθε ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐκ προσώπου βασιλέ­ως ὑμῶν, οὗ ἐξελ­έξασθε ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἐπακούσεται κύριος ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, ὅτι ὑμεῖς ἐξελέξασ­θε ἑαυτοῖς βασιλέα.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen to yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because ye have chosen to yourselves a king.

18 And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to your­selves: and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of X your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

18 Then y’all will cry out during that time as a result of the presence of your king (which y’all chose for yourselves), and Yahweh will not answer y’all during those day{s because y’all chose a king for yourselves}.”

18 וּזְעַקְתֶּם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מִלִּפְנֵי מַלְכְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם לָכֶם וְלֹא-יַעֲנֶה יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּאFF:

19 καὶ οὐκ ἠβούλ­ετο ὁ λαὸς ἀκοῦσαι X τοῦ Σαμουηλ καὶ εἶπαν [αὐτῷGG] Οὐχί, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ βασιλεὺς ἔσται ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς,

19 But the people would not hearken to X X Samuel; and they said [to him,] Nay, but there shall be a king over us.

19 But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said, Nay: but there shall be a king over us,

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

19 The people, however, refused to give heed to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No one except a king will be over us.

19 וַיְמָאֲנוּ הָעָם לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹּא כִּי אִם-מֶלֶךְ יִהְיֶה עָלֵינוּ:

20 καὶ ἐσόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς κατὰ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ δικά­σει ἡμᾶς βασιλεὺς ἡμῶν καὶ ἐξελεύ­σεται ἔμ­προσ­θεν ἡμῶν καὶ πολεμή­σει τὸν πόλεμον ἡμῶν.

20 And we also will be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and shall go out before us, and fight our battles.

20 And we also will be like all nations: and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles for us.

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.

20 Then we – we also – will be like all the nations, in that our king will preside as judge over us and he will go out before us and fight our battles!”

20 וְהָיִינוּ גַם-אֲנַחְנוּ כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם וּשְׁפָטָנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ וְיָצָא לְפָנֵינוּ וְנִלְחַם אֶת-מִלְחֲמֹתֵנוּ:

21 καὶ ἤκουσεν Σαμουηλ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰ ὦτα κυρίου.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and spoke them in the ears of the Lord.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.

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

21 Once Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he then spoke them into the ears of Yahweh,

21 וַיִּשְׁמַע שְׁמוּאֵל אֵת כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הָעָם וַיְדַבְּרֵם בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוָה: פ

22 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαμουηλ Ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν καὶ βασίλευ­σον αὐτοῖς βασιλ­έα. καὶ εἶπεν Σαμ­ουηλ πρὸς ἄνδρας Ισραηλ Ἀποτρεχ­έτω ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and appoint X them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let each man depart to his city.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel: Let every man go to his city.

22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make X them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye [every] man unto his city.

22 and Yahweh said to Samuel, “Give heed to their voice and cause a king to reign for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go to his city.

22 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם וְהִמְלַכְתָּ לָהֶם מֶלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכוּ אִישׁ לְעִירוֹ: פ


1“[T]he ideological struggle [against monarchy] had been in process since the times of Gideon (see Judg. 8:22-23… 9:22) and Saul, and even from before the conquest [of Canaan], for example, among the Hivite Gibeonite cities (Joshua 9)...” ~Tsumura, quoting Weinfeld

2“God had decreed by this occasion to set a King over his people, as he promised to Abraham, that Kings should come of his seed, Gen. 17.17... the people offended, because they asked him after a preposterous manner, not expecting the authoritie of God: therefore the Lord is said, to have given them a King in his anger, Hosh. 13.11. their request was then against the revealed will of God, though God in his secret counsell had so determined.” ~Willett
God had intimated to them in the law that, in due time, Israel should have a king (Deut. 17), and perhaps they had some intimation that the time was at hand; but they are all in haste: “We, in our day, will have this king over us.” Could they but have waited ten or twelve years longer they would have had David, a king of God's giving in mercy, and all the calamities that attended the setting up of Saul would have been prevented. Sudden resolves and hasty desires make work for a long and leisurely repentance.~M. Henry

3The rest of this quote runs as follows and forms the basis of my 3-point outline: “Secondly, he should faile in the ende: abusing these things to his pleasure, and giving them to his servants and fauorites, not applying them to the common profit and benefite of the Commonwealth. Thirdly, in respect of their persons, he should use them altogether, as servants, v. 17. (putting them to base and servile offices) not as free subiects, such as they were in time of the Judges, and their other gouernours.

4The foremost use of this term in the Bible is in the context of the special incense used in worshipping God (Exod. 30:25, 33, 35; 37:29; 1 Chr. 9:30). There’s also one citation concerning perfumes in pagan sexual rites in Isa. 57:9 and a couple more non-specific references to a perfumer named Hananiah (Neh. 3:8 - perhaps one of the priests mentioned in Ezra 10 and Neh. 12).

5published at http://history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/Vindiciae.htm

6Prov. 20:10,23, cf. Deut. 25:13

7As well as of all the people!

8The 1 c. pl. ‘we’ is frequently used in the following short speech. The Lord fought his battle before (7:10), but now the people are concerned with their own battle! … This is the beginning of a new distrust by the Israelites of their covenant God… [Note the difference between] ‘to fight the Lord’s battles’ (18:17; 25:28) and ‘to fight our battles’ (2 Chr. 32:8).” ~Tsumura

9This is… probably the main, underlying motive of the request for a king… a king would be able to mobilize the whole people behind him, whereas before only those immediately attacked had resisted and the rest of the tribes had refrained from helping them.’” ~Goldman, quoting Ralbag

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing this chapter is 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 7-20 (highlighted in purple), and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS supports the LXX with text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English.

BAQ = eklinan ... pleonexiaV. S = meteklinon akolouqounteV th pleonexia. These early-AD versions emphasize the injustice with the translation of pleon- “more than necessary,whereas the LXX version from the late-BC may be using a technical term for “bribe” which emphasizes how it “seals the deal.”

CMasorite scribes suggested the spelling be amended by adding a yodh between the end of the noun and the final prepositional prefix (בִּדְרָכָיו) making it more clear that the noun “ways” was plural instead of singular. The Targums, Syriac, and Vulgate, as well as all the standard English translations pluralize “ways,” but the Septuagint stands with the singular in the Masoretic Text. I don’t see that it makes any difference in meaning.

DThe Septuagint as well as several Hebrew manuscripts and one of the Targums have an “and” here. It doesn’t make a difference in meaning, though.

E LXX literally make out to be nothing” cf. S=apedokimasan “dismiss from consideration”

F NASB/NIV = “listen to, ESV “obey” (same in vs. 9, 19, & 22)

GKittel noted that there are a couple of Hebrew and Greek manuscripts which, along with the Syriac, add “land of” before “Egypt,” but this makes no difference in meaning except perhaps to clarify what might already be inferred, that it was deliverance out of a geographical region that is being emphasized rather than escape from a particular ethnic group (Egyptians).

H NASB/NIV/ESV = “warn”

I NASB = “tell,” NIV = “let them know”

J NASB = “procedure,” NIV = “what he will do,” ESV = “way[s],” Lit. “judging” (also in v.11)

KThe DSS inserts a marker (את) that the next word is the object rather than the subject of the verb. Since that can already be discerned without that marker, it makes no difference in translation.

L NASB = “place” NIV = “make serve”

M The DSS only has room for four letters for this word, which could still spell “in the chariot of”

N This word ends with a mem in the DSS, matching the DSS which is a plural participle rather than a verb.

OThe LXX appears to have translated according to known military ranks “captain” and “centurion” rather than use the literal numbers in the Hebrew text.

P NASB, NIV, ESV = “plow”

Q NASB, NIV, ESV = “equipment”

R JFB: “the greatest and smallest military officers are mentioned”

S This noun only here and Gen. 45:6 and Exod. 34:21

T “Verse 12 as a whole … seems to refer to the professions of three classes in society: soldiers – farmers – artisans.” ~Tsumura

U NASB, NIV, ESV = “perfumers”

V Only 3 other places in the Hebrew Bible, all having to do with slaughtering meat: 1 Sam. 25:11; Ps. 44:23; Jer. 12:3

W NASB/NIV = “olive groves,” ESV = “olive orchards”

X S = sporimagrain-fields”

Y NIV, ESV = “grain”

Zeunuch; here it is used in a wider sense for the royal chamberlains.” ~K&D

AAThe DSS uses a synonymous Hebrew word for female slave, אמהתיכם, perhaps the only distinction in meaning being that the word in the MT has a greater connotation of being a domestic or close to the family.

BBThe LXX has a word here for “cattle” which makes more sense in parallel with “donkeys” and is picked up in the NIV. The DSS is obliterated at this point, but there is a Hebrew word meaning “cattle” with a close spelling, בקר
K&D note: “
The word בַּחוּרֵיכֶם, between the slaves (men-servants and maid-servants) and the asses, is very striking and altogether unsuitable; and in all probability it is only an ancient copyist's error for בִּקְרֵיכֶם, your oxen, as we may see from the lxx rendering, τὰ βουκόλια.
If so, it would be the only time that the LXX translates
bqrim as βουκόλια, the other 3 times being μόσχων (2 Chr. 4:3); κτηνῶν (Neh. 10:37) and θηλείαις (Amos 6:12).
NICOT: “[I]t seems that the adjective (lit., ‘the good’) [similar to its use in v.14] modifies the coordinated nouns ‘your calves and your donkeys’ as a whole… [T]he [first] Hebrew term could refer to any ‘young’ being, either animal or man… Weinfeld’s consideration ‘that in some near eastern documents of release and exemption the royal work-force is represented by the triad slave, oxen, and asses; fits the MT text as it stands...”

CCThe DSS reads ועשו, but this infinitive form wouldn’t change the meaning. The LXX, however reads as though the Hebrew were ועשרcollect a tenth,” which could be more-easily visually-mis-taken from the DSS ועשו than from the MT ועשה.
The NICOT commentator Tsumura takes for granted that the MT is correct, translating it “be made to do,” and explaining, “The 3 m.ds. Verb in a basic stem (i.e. the ‘unmarked’ form) would be translated as impersonal passive, thus defocusing the agent, in the ‘manual’ type discourse...”

DD NASB, NIV, ESV = “flocks”

EE DSS starts this sentence with an “and” and so does the LXX, Syriac, and some Latin manuscripts.

FFDSS reads ההם "these,” matching the LXX “those days,” then is obliterated until the middle of the next verse, but there is too much space for the terse reading of the MT, supporting the addendum to this verse in the LXX and Vulgate “because you have chosen for yourselves a king.” Neither changes the gist of the MT, though.

GGThe word for “no” and the word for “to him” would be pronounced the same in Hebrew. There are some Hebrew documents which read לו (“to him”) here, but it is curious that the LXX has both. The DSS is obliterated here, so it cannot be referenced.

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