And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
When Israel's elders asked for a king to judge them like the surrounding nations, Samuel under God's special direction solemnly warned them beforehand what such a king would do. In plain terms he would take their daughters from their homes into royal service for household labor as makers of confections and as cooks and bakers. That taking belonged to despotic demands and heavy tribute that supplied the luxury and state of the throne instead of building happy homes, unlike judges who instructed the people in the ways of the Lord. The demand itself was a deliberate rejection of God's authority and theocracy, choosing visible human power and worldly policy over His unseen guidance in order to be like other nations and have glory as a nation. God was angry at the demand yet gave them a king in His wrath and permitted them to have their own way, and that same folly is repeated today whenever His people lean on human rulers and judgment instead of God.
Historical Setting and Meaning
The verse belongs to the time when Israel's elders asked Samuel to appoint a king to judge them like the surrounding nations, insisting on having an earthly king in order to be like the nations around them notwithstanding the warning of the Lord. Samuel faithfully told the people all the words of the Lord under God's special direction, solemnly protesting and showing them the manner of the king that would reign over them. He plainly told them their own way was not the right way and the best way, to save them from future distress and keep them under God's merciful guidance instead of leaving them to changeable human judgment. The solemn words did not change their purpose, for their minds were bent on following their own judgment and casting aside the wisdom of God, imagining their way would bring the most glory to themselves as a nation.
In plain terms the verse means the king would take the people's daughters into royal service for household work as confectioners, cooks, and bakers in his royal household. The daughters would be taken from their homes to supply the labor and luxury that supported the king's state, rather than building happy homes, as part of his despotic demands, heavy tax or tribute, and oppression. Unlike the judges who settled difficulties of church and state and instructed the people in the ways of the Lord, such a king would exalt himself and require kingly honors and service by taking what was theirs, and could exercise despotic power, lead the people away from God, and use his authority unjustly.
The warning showed beforehand what the choice would bring, and its fulfillment verified God's word. Israel's later grief over Samuel's death highlights the mistake of seeking a king like the surrounding nations, and Saul's example helped society turn toward irreligion and godlessness. Israel chose visible human power over God's unseen guidance, which had led them and given them victory, and depending on human power brought weakness, with the result seen in Jerusalem's destruction and the nation's dispersion. Under such a king God would not manifest His mighty delivering power as in Egypt, and when the people cried to Him in their distress He would not hear them.
Rejection of Divine Rule
The demand for a king was a deliberate effort to replace the existing rule and a rebellious departure that rejected God's authority and renounced the divine theocracy. Wanting a king meant refusing to be under God's jurisdiction and separating from His management and control for a worldly policy carried on by human judgment. It was choosing visible human power over God's unseen guidance that had led them and given them victory.
The motive was to be like other nations and to be recognized by the world, after leaving their first love. It was to lean on men and on their own judgment rather than on God. They imagined their own way would bring the most glory to themselves as a nation.
God had a controversy with His people over this choice and was angry at the demand. Yet He permitted them to have their own way and gave them a king in His wrath, granting the desire of their unsanctified hearts. The solemn warning had been meant to save them from future distress and to keep them under His merciful guidance instead of changeable human judgment.
Under such a king God would not manifest His mighty delivering power as in Egypt, and when the people cried to Him in their distress He would not hear them. Depending on human power brought weakness.
Warning Repeated Today
The folly recorded in 1 Samuel 8:4-22 was Israel in Samuel's day turning from the Lord God of Israel as Ruler to lean on men and on their own judgment, and that same folly will be repeated among the people of God today unless checked. It is repeated whenever confidence is placed in human rulers, human power, and human judgment instead of God. The same spirit leads managers who have not known God's power in establishing His work to lay plans He never thought, to bring in a new order of things, and to manage His work too much after the world. That course is a separating from God's management and control for a worldly policy carried on by human judgment, and it separates from the blessing and safety of being led and controlled by the Lord in all ways and will react upon those who follow it.
The warning about what a king would take from the people, taking daughters for his service, applies directly to that danger of trusting human rulers. The work will abide the test only as divine power is combined with human effort. What is needed instead is greater humility, less confidence in self, and more trust in God. When men no longer lean on men or their own judgment but make God their trust, there will be meekness of spirit with caution in plans and movements, and less talking and much more praying, revealing dependence on God and the mind of Christ.
When Israel's elders asked for a king to judge them like the surrounding nations, Samuel under God's special direction solemnly warned them beforehand what such a king would do. In plain terms he would take their daughters from their homes into royal service for household labor as makers of confections and as cooks and bakers. That taking belonged to despotic demands and heavy tribute that supplied the luxury and state of the throne instead of building happy homes, unlike judges who instructed the people in the ways of the Lord. The demand itself was a deliberate rejection of God's authority and theocracy, choosing visible human power and worldly policy over His unseen guidance in order to be like other nations and have glory as a nation. God was angry at the demand yet gave them a king in His wrath and permitted them to have their own way, and that same folly is repeated today whenever His people lean on human rulers and judgment instead of God.
Historical Setting and Meaning
The verse belongs to the time when Israel's elders asked Samuel to appoint a king to judge them like the surrounding nations, insisting on having an earthly king in order to be like the nations around them notwithstanding the warning of the Lord. Samuel faithfully told the people all the words of the Lord under God's special direction, solemnly protesting and showing them the manner of the king that would reign over them. He plainly told them their own way was not the right way and the best way, to save them from future distress and keep them under God's merciful guidance instead of leaving them to changeable human judgment. The solemn words did not change their purpose, for their minds were bent on following their own judgment and casting aside the wisdom of God, imagining their way would bring the most glory to themselves as a nation.
In plain terms the verse means the king would take the people's daughters into royal service for household work as confectioners, cooks, and bakers in his royal household. The daughters would be taken from their homes to supply the labor and luxury that supported the king's state, rather than building happy homes, as part of his despotic demands, heavy tax or tribute, and oppression. Unlike the judges who settled difficulties of church and state and instructed the people in the ways of the Lord, such a king would exalt himself and require kingly honors and service by taking what was theirs, and could exercise despotic power, lead the people away from God, and use his authority unjustly.
The warning showed beforehand what the choice would bring, and its fulfillment verified God's word. Israel's later grief over Samuel's death highlights the mistake of seeking a king like the surrounding nations, and Saul's example helped society turn toward irreligion and godlessness. Israel chose visible human power over God's unseen guidance, which had led them and given them victory, and depending on human power brought weakness, with the result seen in Jerusalem's destruction and the nation's dispersion. Under such a king God would not manifest His mighty delivering power as in Egypt, and when the people cried to Him in their distress He would not hear them.
Rejection of Divine Rule
The demand for a king was a deliberate effort to replace the existing rule and a rebellious departure that rejected God's authority and renounced the divine theocracy. Wanting a king meant refusing to be under God's jurisdiction and separating from His management and control for a worldly policy carried on by human judgment. It was choosing visible human power over God's unseen guidance that had led them and given them victory.
The motive was to be like other nations and to be recognized by the world, after leaving their first love. It was to lean on men and on their own judgment rather than on God. They imagined their own way would bring the most glory to themselves as a nation.
God had a controversy with His people over this choice and was angry at the demand. Yet He permitted them to have their own way and gave them a king in His wrath, granting the desire of their unsanctified hearts. The solemn warning had been meant to save them from future distress and to keep them under His merciful guidance instead of changeable human judgment.
Under such a king God would not manifest His mighty delivering power as in Egypt, and when the people cried to Him in their distress He would not hear them. Depending on human power brought weakness.
Warning Repeated Today
The folly recorded in 1 Samuel 8:4-22 was Israel in Samuel's day turning from the Lord God of Israel as Ruler to lean on men and on their own judgment, and that same folly will be repeated among the people of God today unless checked. It is repeated whenever confidence is placed in human rulers, human power, and human judgment instead of God. The same spirit leads managers who have not known God's power in establishing His work to lay plans He never thought, to bring in a new order of things, and to manage His work too much after the world. That course is a separating from God's management and control for a worldly policy carried on by human judgment, and it separates from the blessing and safety of being led and controlled by the Lord in all ways and will react upon those who follow it.
The warning about what a king would take from the people, taking daughters for his service, applies directly to that danger of trusting human rulers. The work will abide the test only as divine power is combined with human effort. What is needed instead is greater humility, less confidence in self, and more trust in God. When men no longer lean on men or their own judgment but make God their trust, there will be meekness of spirit with caution in plans and movements, and less talking and much more praying, revealing dependence on God and the mind of Christ.