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Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
Wednesday in Easter Week
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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

1 Samuel 8:1

And it cometh to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abia;   Bribery;   Judge;   Minister, Christian;   Rulers;   Samuel;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Kingdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Samuel;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abiah;   Justice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Samuel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abia;   Judges;   Philistia;   Samuel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Beer-Sheba;   Hadad-Ezer;   Intercession;   Joel;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Government;   Israel;   King;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Joel;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sam'uel;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Judge;   Samuel;   Saul;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abiah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
Hebrew Names Version
It happened, when Shemu'el was old, that he made his sons judges over Yisra'el.
King James Version
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Lexham English Bible
When Samuel grew old he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
English Standard Version
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
New Century Version
When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges for Israel.
New English Translation
In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
Amplified Bible
And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
New American Standard Bible
Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
When Samuel was nowe become olde, he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.
Contemporary English Version
Samuel had two sons. The older one was Joel, and the younger one was Abijah. When Samuel was getting old, he let them be leaders at Beersheba.
Complete Jewish Bible
When Sh'mu'el grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Isra'el.
Darby Translation
And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Easy-to-Read Version
When Samuel was old, he appointed his sons to be judges for Israel.
George Lamsa Translation
AND it came to pass, when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
Good News Translation
When Samuel grew old, he made his sons judges in Israel.
Literal Translation
And it happened when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Bvt whan Samuel waxed olde, he set his sonnes to be iudges ouer Israel.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Bible in Basic English
Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When Samuel was old, he made his sonnes iudges ouer Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe, when Samuel was old, that he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe it was don, whanne Samuel hadde wexide eld, he settide hise sones iugis on Israel.
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
World English Bible
It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
New King James Version
Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.
New Living Translation
As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
New Life Bible
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges in Israel.
New Revised Standard
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges to Israel;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
Revised Standard Version
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
THE MESSAGE
When Samuel got to be an old man, he set his sons up as judges in Israel. His firstborn son was named Joel, the name of his second, Abijah. They were assigned duty in Beersheba. But his sons didn't take after him; they were out for what they could get for themselves, taking bribes, corrupting justice.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.

Contextual Overview

1 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel. 2 And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba: 3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2892, bc 1112, An, Ex, Is, 379

made his: Deuteronomy 16:18, Deuteronomy 16:19, Judges 8:22, Judges 8:23, 2 Chronicles 19:5, 2 Chronicles 19:6, Nehemiah 7:2, 1 Timothy 5:21

sons judges: Judges 5:10, Judges 10:4, Judges 12:14

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:6 - the judges 1 Samuel 2:22 - Now 1 Samuel 12:2 - I am old 1 Samuel 14:52 - when Saul

Cross-References

Genesis 8:7
and he sendeth forth the raven, and it goeth out, going out and turning back till the drying of the waters from off the earth.
Genesis 8:9
and the dove hath not found rest for the sole of her foot, and she turneth back unto him, unto the ark, for waters [are] on the face of all the earth, and he putteth out his hand, and taketh her, and bringeth her in unto him, unto the ark.
Genesis 8:20
And Noah buildeth an altar to Jehovah, and taketh of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and causeth burnt-offerings to ascend on the altar;
Genesis 8:22
during all days of the earth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, do not cease.'
Genesis 19:29
And it cometh to pass, in God's destroying the cities of the circuit, that God remembereth Abraham, and sendeth Lot out of the midst of the overthrow in the overthrowing of the cities in which Lot dwelt.
Genesis 30:22
And God remembereth Rachel, and God hearkeneth unto her, and openeth her womb,
Exodus 2:24
and God heareth their groaning, and God remembereth His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;
Exodus 14:21
And Moses stretcheth out his hand towards the sea, and Jehovah causeth the sea to go on by a strong east wind all the night, and maketh the sea become dry ground, and the waters are cleaved,
Numbers 22:32
and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, `Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I -- I have come out for an adversary, for [thy] way hath been perverse before me,
1 Samuel 1:19
And they rise early in the morning, and bow themselves before Jehovah, and turn back, and come in unto their house in Ramah, and Elkanah knoweth Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembereth her;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old,.... The common notion of the Jews is, that he lived but fifty two years t; when a man is not usually called an old man, unless the infirmities of old age came upon him sooner than they commonly do, through his indefatigable labours from his childhood, and the cares and burdens of government he had long bore; though some think he was about sixty years of age; and Abarbinel is of opinion that he was more than seventy. It is a rule with the Jews u, that a man is called an old man at sixty, and a grey headed man at seventy:

that he made his sons judges over Israel; under himself, not being able through old age to go the circuits he used; he sent them, and appointed them to hear and try causes in his stead, or settled them in some particular places in the land, and, as it seems by what follows, at Beersheba; though whether that was under his direction, or was their own choice, is not certain.

t Seder Olam Rabba, ut supra. (c. 13. p. 35.) u Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 21.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This verse implies a long period, probably not less than 20 years, of which we have no account except what is contained in the brief notice in 1 Samuel 7:13-17. The general idea conveyed is of a time of peace and prosperity, analogous to that under other Judges.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER VIII

Samuel, grown old, makes his sons judges in Beer-sheba, 1, 2.

They pervert judgment; and the people complain, and desire a

king, 3-5.

Samuel is displeased, and inquires of the Lord, 6.

The Lord is also displeased; but directs Samuel to appoint them

a king, and to show them solemnly the consequences of their

choice, 7-9.

Samuel does so; and shows them what they may expect from an

absolute monarch, and how afflicted they should be under his

administration, 10-18.

The people refuse to recede from their demand; and Samuel lays

the matter before the Lord, and dismisses them, 19-22.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII


Verse 1 Samuel 8:1. When Samuel was old — Supposed to be about sixty.

He made his sons judges — He appointed them as his lieutenants to superintend certain affairs in Beer-sheba, which he could not conveniently attend to himself. But they were never judges in the proper sense of the word; Samuel was the last judge in Israel, and he judged it to the day of his death. See 1 Samuel 7:16.


 
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