1 Samuel 8:22

Easy-to-Read Version

The Lord answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel told the Israelites, "You will have a king. Now go home."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Listen to them,” the Lord told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.”

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Shemu'el, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Shemu'el said to the men of Yisra'el, Go you every man to his city.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Then Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and appoint a king for them." So Samuel spoke to the men of Israel, "Each of you go to his own town."

English Standard Version
And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey their voice and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

New Century Version
The Lord answered, "You must listen to them. Give them a king." Then Samuel told the people of Israel, "Go back to your towns."

New English Translation
The Lord said to Samuel, "Do as they say and install a king over them." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Each of you go back to his own city."

Amplified Bible
And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their request and appoint a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, each man to his own city."

New American Standard Bible
And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, every man to his city."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Lord saide to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe euery man vnto his citie.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint them a king." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

Contemporary English Version
"Do what they want," the Lord answered. "Give them a king." Samuel told the people to go back to their homes.

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to Sh'mu'el, "Do what they ask, and set up a king for them." So Sh'mu'el told the men of Isra'el, "Each of you, return to his city."

Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.

George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go every man to his city.

Good News Translation
The Lord answered, "Do what they want and give them a king." Then Samuel told all the men of Israel to go back home.

Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and you shall cause a king to reign over them. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Each of you go to his city.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The LORDE sayde vnto the: Herken thou vnto their voyce, and make them a kynge. And Samuel sayde vnto the men of Israel: Go youre waye euery one vnto his cite.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah 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.

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lord sayd to Samuel: Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a king. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel: Go euery man vnto his citie.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'

King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe yee euery man vnto his citie.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and appoint them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let each man depart to his city.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
"Listen to their voice," the LORD said to Samuel. "Appoint a king for them." Then Samuel told the men of Israel, "Everyone must go back to his city."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here thou `the vois of hem, and ordeyne thou a kyng on hem. And Samuel seide to the men of Israel, Ech man go in to his citee.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Hearken to their voice, and thou hast caused to reign over them a king.' And Samuel saith unto the men of Israel, `Go ye each to his city.'

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go every man to his city.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.

New King James Version
So the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

New Living Translation
and the Lord replied, "Do as they say, and give them a king." Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.

New Life Bible
The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and choose a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every one of you go home to his city."

New Revised Standard
The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and set a king over them." Samuel then said to the people of Israel, "Each of you return home."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye, every man to his own city.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint them a king." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

Contextual Overview

⁴ So all the elders of Israel met together and went to Ramah to meet with Samuel. ⁵ The elders said to Samuel, "You're old, and your sons don't live right. They are not like you. Now, give us a king to rule us like all the other nations." ⁶ So the elders asked for a king to lead them. Samuel thought this was a bad idea, so he prayed to the Lord . ⁷ The Lord told Samuel, "Do what the people tell you. They have not rejected you. They have rejected me. They don't want me to be their king. ⁸ They are doing the same thing they have always done. I took them out of Egypt, but they left me and served other gods. They are doing the same to you. ⁹ So listen to the people and do what they say. But give them a warning. Tell the people what a king will do to them. Tell them how a king rules people." ¹⁰ Those people asked for a king. So Samuel told them everything the Lord said. ¹¹ Samuel said, "If you have a king ruling over you, this is what he will do: He will take away your sons and force them to serve him. He will force them to be soldiers—they must fight from his chariots and become horse soldiers in his army. Your sons will become guards running in front of the king's chariot. ¹² "A king will force your sons to become soldiers. He will choose which of your sons will be officers over 1000 men and which will be officers over 50 men. "A king will force some of your sons to plow his fields and gather his harvest. He will force some of your sons to make weapons for war and to make things for his chariots. ¹³ "A king will take your daughters and force some of them to make perfume for him and some to cook and bake for him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Samuel 8:7, Hosea 13:11

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:23 - God

Cross-References

Genesis 8:8
Noah also sent out a dove. He wanted it to find dry ground. He wanted to know if water still covered the earth.

Genesis 8:9
The dove could not find a place to rest because water still covered the earth, so the dove came back to the boat. Noah reached out his hand and caught the dove and brought it back into the boat.

Genesis 8:11
And that afternoon the dove came back to Noah. The dove had a fresh olive leaf in its mouth. This was a sign to show Noah that there was dry ground on the earth.

Genesis 8:12
Seven days later Noah sent the dove out again. But this time the dove didn't come back.

Genesis 8:16
"Leave the boat. You, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives should go out now.

Genesis 8:17
Bring every living animal out of the boat with you—all the birds, animals, and everything that crawls on the earth. These animals will make many more animals, and they will fill the earth again."

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to honor the Lord . Noah took some of all the clean birds and some of all the clean animals and burned them on the altar as a gift to God.

Genesis 45:6
This terrible famine has continued for two years now, and there will be five more years without planting or harvest.

Exodus 34:21
"You will work for six days, but on the seventh day you must rest. You must rest even during the times of planting and harvesting.

Jeremiah 5:24
The people of Judah never say to themselves, ‘Let's fear and respect the Lord our God. He gives us autumn and spring rains at just the right time. He makes sure that we have the harvest at just the right time.'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said to Samuel,.... an audible voice, or by an impulse upon his mind:

hearken unto their voice, and make them a king; since they will have a king, let them have one, and let them know that they shall have one:

and Samuel said unto the men of Israel: the elders of the people that addressed him on this occasion, 1 Samuel 8:4

go ye every man unto his city; signifying they might return in peace, and be assured their request would be granted, and a king would be appointed in a short time, and which they might report to their fellow citizens; and they might expect to hear from him quickly, as soon as he had instructions from the Lord who should be their king, which right he had reserved to himself; and therefore in the mean while they might rest contented that they would have one in a little time.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A repetition for the third time 1 Samuel 8:7, 1 Samuel 8:9 of the expression of God’s will in the matter, marks Samuel’s great unwillingness to comply with the people’s request. Besides the natural aversion which he felt to being thrust aside after so many years of faithful and laborious service, and the natural prejudice which he would feel at his age against a new form of government, he doubtless saw how much of the evil heart of unbelief there was in the desire to have a visible king for their leader, instead of trusting to the invisible Lord who had hitherto led them. But God had His own purpose in setting up the kingdom which was to be typical of the kingdom of His only begotten Son.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 8:22. Hearken unto their voice — Let them have what they desire, and let them abide the consequences.

Go ye every man unto his city. — It seems the elders of the people had tarried all this time with Samuel, and when he had received his ultimate answer from God, he told them of it and dismissed them.

ON this account we may observe:

1. That GOD did not change the government of Israel; it was the people themselves who changed it.

2. That though God permitted them to have a king, yet he did not approve of him.

3. That, notwithstanding he did not suffer them to choose the man, he ordered his servant Samuel to choose him by lot, he disposing of that lot.

4. That God never gave up the supreme government; he was still KING in Israel, and the king, so called, was only the vicegerent or deputy of the Lord.

5. That no king of Judah attempted to be supreme, therefore they never made new laws, nor altered the old; which was a positive confession that God was the supreme Legislator.

6. That an absolute monarchy is always an evil, and is contrary to all the rights, civil and religious, of mankind; a mode of government that all people should avoid, as pregnant with evils to mankind.

7. That although it was a sin in the Israelites to desire a king, that is, to change a constitution of which God was the author, yet kingly government, properly understood, is a good of the first magnitude to the civil happiness of mankind.

8. That by kingly government, properly understood, I mean such a monarchical government as that of Great Britain, where the king, the nobles, and the people, are duly mixed, each having his proper part in the government, and each preventing the other from running to excess, and all limited by law.

9. That the three grand forms of government which have obtained among mankind, viz., monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, have each certain advantages without which no state can be well preserved; but they have evils by which any state may be injured.

10. That, from a proper mixture of these, the advantages of the whole may be reaped without any of their attendant evils, and that this is the British constitution; which, not merely the wisdom of our ancestors, but the providence of God has given unto us, and of which no other state has had common sense enough to avail themselves, though they see that because of this the British empire is the most powerful and the most happy in the universe, and likely at last to give laws to the whole world.

The manner of our king is constitutional, widely different from that of Saul, and from that of any other potentate in the four quarters of the globe. He is the father of his people, and the people feel and love him as such. He has all the power necessary to do good; they have all the liberty necessary to their political happiness, had they only a diminution of taxes, which at present are too heavy for any nation to bear.