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1 Samuel 8:1

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges to Israel;
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— And it cometh to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel.
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— When Samuel was nowe become olde, he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— And it came to passe, when Samuel was old, that he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— AND it came to pass, when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— And it came to pass, when Shemuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Yisrael.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
And it came to pass, x1961
(1961) Complement
הָיָה
hayah
{haw-yaw'}
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary).
when x834
(0834) Complement
אֲשֶׁר
'asher
{ash-er'}
A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
Šæmû´ël שְׁמוּאֵל 8050
{8050} Prime
שְׁמוּאֵל
Sh@muw'el
{sehm-oo-ale'}
From the passive participle of H8085 and H0410; heard of God; Shemuel, the name of three Israelites.
was old, 2204
{2204} Prime
זָקֵן
zaqen
{zaw-kane'}
A primitive root; to be old.
z8804
<8804> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Perfect (See H8816)
Count - 12562
that he made 7760
{7760} Prime
שׂוּם
suwm
{soom}
A primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literally, figuratively, inferentially and elliptically).
z8799
<8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 19885
x853
(0853) Complement
אֵת
'eth
{ayth}
Apparently contracted from H0226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely).
his sons 1121
{1121} Prime
בֵּן
ben
{bane}
From H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like H0001, H0251, etc.).
judges 8199
{8199} Prime
שָׁפַט
shaphat
{shaw-fat'}
A primitive root; to judge, that is, pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication to vindicate or punish; by extension to govern; passively to litigate (literally or figuratively).
z8802
<8802> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Participle Active (See H8814)
Count - 5386
over Yiŝrä´ël יִשׂרָאֵל. 3478
{3478} Prime
יִשְׂרָאֵל
Yisra'el
{yis-raw-ale'}
From H8280 and H0410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

1 Samuel 8:1-5

_ _ 1 Samuel 8:1-18. Occasioned by the ill-government of Samuel’s sons, the Israelites ask a king.

_ _ when Samuel was old — He was now about fifty-four years of age, having discharged the office of sole judge for twelve years. Unable, from growing infirmities, to prosecute his circuit journeys through the country, he at length confined his magisterial duties to Ramah and its neighborhood (1 Samuel 7:15), delegating to his sons as his deputies the administration of justice in the southern districts of Palestine, their provincial court being held at Beer-sheba. The young men, however, did not inherit the high qualities of their father. Having corrupted the fountains of justice for their own private aggrandizement, a deputation of the leading men in the country lodged a complaint against them in headquarters, accompanied with a formal demand for a change in the government. The limited and occasional authority of the judges, the disunion and jealousy of the tribes under the administration of those rulers, had been creating a desire for a united and permanent form of government; while the advanced age of Samuel, together with the risk of his death happening in the then unsettled state of the people, was the occasion of calling forth an expression of this desire now.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

1 Samuel 8:1-3

_ _ Two sad things we find here, but not strange things: — 1. A good and useful man growing old and unfit for service (1 Samuel 8:1): Samuel was old, and could not judge Israel, as he had done. He is not reckoned to be past sixty years of age now, perhaps not so much; but he was a man betimes, was full of thoughts and cared when he was a child, which perhaps hastened the infirmities of age upon him. The fruits that are the first ripe keep the worst. He had spent his strength and spirits in the fatigue of public business, and now, if he think to shake himself as at other times, he finds he is mistaken: old age has cut his hair. Those that are in the prime of their time ought to be busy in doing the work of life: for, as they go into years, they will find themselves less disposed to it and less able for it. 2. The children of a good man turning aside, and not treading in his steps. Samuel had given his sons so good an education, and they had given him such good hopes of their doing well, and gained such a reputation in Israel, that he made them judges, assistants to him awhile, and afterwards deputies under him at Beersheeba, which lay remote from Ramah, 1 Samuel 8:2. Probably the southern countries petitioned for their residence there, that they might not be necessitated to travel far with their causes. We have reason to think that Samuel gave them their commissions, not because they were his sons (he had no ambition to entail the government upon his family, any more than Gideon had), but because, for aught that yet appeared, they were men very fit for the trust; and none so proper to ease the aged judge, and take some of the burden off him, as (coeteris paribusother things being equal) his own sons, who no doubt were respected for their good father's sake, and, having such an advantage at setting out, might soon have been great if they had but been good. But, alas! his sons walked not in his ways (1 Samuel 8:3), and, when their character was the reverse of his, their relation to so good a man, which otherwise would have been their honour, was really their disgrace. Degeneranti genus opprobriumA good extraction is a reproach to him that degenerates from it. Note, Those that have the most grace themselves cannot give grace to their children. It has often been the grief of good men to see their posterity, instead of treading in their steps, trampling upon them, and, as Job speaks, marring their path. Nay, many that have begun well, promised fair, and set out in the right path, so that their parents and friends have had great hopes of them, yet afterwards have turned aside to by-paths, and been the grief of those of whom they should have been the joy. When Samuel's sons were made judges, and settled at a distance form him, then they discovered themselves. Thus, (1.) Many that have been well educated, and have conducted themselves well while they were under their parents' eye, when they have gone abroad into the world and set up for themselves have proved bad. Let none therefore be secure either of themselves or theirs, but depend on divine grace. (2.) Many that have done well in a state of meanness and subjection have been spoiled by preferment and power. Honours change men's minds, and too often for the worse. It does not appear that Samuel's sons were so profane and vicious as Eli's sons; but, whatever they were in other respects, they were corrupt judges, they turned aside after lucre, after the mammon of unrighteousness, so the Chaldee reads it. Note, The love of money is the root of all evil. It is pernicious in any, but especially in judges. Samuel had taken no bribes (Job 12:3), but his sons had, though, no doubt, he warned them against it when he made them judges; and then they perverted judgment. In determining controversies, they had an eye to the bribe, not to the law, and enquired who bid highest, not who had right on his side. It is sad with a people when the public justice that should do them right, being perverted, does them the greatest wrong.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

1 Samuel 8:1

Old — And so unfit for his former travels and labours. He is not supposed to have been now above sixty years of age. But he had spent his strength and spirits in the fatigue of public business: and now if he thinks to shake himself as at other times, he finds he is mistaken: age has cut his hair. They that are in the prime of their years, ought to be busy in doing the work of life: for as they go into years, they will find themselves less disposed to it, and less capable of it. Judges — Not supreme judges, for such there was to be but one, and that of God's chusing; and Samuel still kept that office in his own hands, 1 Samuel 7:15, but his deputies, to go about and determine matters, but with reservation of a right of appeals to himself. He had doubtless instructed them in a singular manner, and fitted them for the highest employments; and he hoped that the example he had sent them, and the authority he still had over them, would oblige them to diligence and faithfulness in their trust.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

1 Samuel 8:1

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

(a) Because he was not able to bear the charge.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
am 2892, bc 1112, An, Ex, Is, 379

made his:

Deuteronomy 16:18-19 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. ... Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
Judges 8:22-23 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. ... And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
2 Chronicles 19:5-6 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, ... And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.
Nehemiah 7:2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he [was] a faithful man, and feared God above many.
1 Timothy 5:21 I charge [thee] before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

sons judges:

Judges 5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
Judges 10:4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead.
Judges 12:14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Dt 16:18. Jg 5:10; 8:22; 10:4; 12:14. 2Ch 19:5. Ne 7:2. 1Ti 5:21.

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