Samuel's Warning Against Kings

1 Samuel 8

¹⁰ So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. ¹¹ He said, _y "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: _z he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. ¹² And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some _a to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ _b He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. ¹⁵ He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. ¹⁶ He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men ₁ and your donkeys, and put them to his work. ¹⁷ He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. ¹⁸ And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, _c but the Lord will not answer you in that day."

1. Cross References
   1 Samuel 10:25
   Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.
   Deuteronomy 17:16 - 20
   Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, 'You shall never return that way again.
   
2. Cross References
   1 Samuel 14:52
   There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.
   
3. Cross References
   Genesis 45:6
   For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
   
4. Cross References
   1 Kings 21:7
   And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
   Ezekiel 46:18
   The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.
   
5. Cross References
   Proverbs 1:28
   Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
   Isaiah 1:15
   When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
   Micah 3:4
   Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.
   

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.