1 Samuel 8:16
And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
The king would take the people's menservants and maidservants, their best and finest young men, and their donkeys, cattle, livestock and property, and put them to his own work and service, even compelling the finest young men to military and other royal use. These were solemn words God directed Samuel to speak beforehand to show Israel the manner of the king that would reign over them, given when the elders asked to be ruled like the surrounding nations, and what was foretold was verified when the people chose that course. Such taking was exaction, oppression and a heavy burden of tribute that cost them their freedom and possessions, unlike the Lord's rule, and by seizing what was most valuable to support the luxury and demands of the royal household the king would so burden them that they would cry out to God. By demanding a human, temporal king modeled on nations that did not acknowledge God, Israel rejected God as its Supreme Ruler, special Leader and Deliverer and placed authority in human power instead of His wise and mild government by His prophets. That folly in desiring a king for worldly policy instead of trusting the Lord as Ruler illustrates the danger of relying on human authority and judgment, which will be repeated among God's people today unless there is greater humility, less confidence in self and men, and more trust in God, for blessing and safety are in being led and controlled by the Lord in all ways.
Samuel's Warning of Seizure
The verse belongs to the solemn words God directed Samuel to speak to show Israel beforehand the manner of the king that would reign over them. What He foretold through Samuel was verified when the people chose to be ruled like other nations. Its setting was the elders' request for a king so Israel could be ruled like other nations and like the surrounding nations. That request for an earthly king, made despite the Lord's warning, was later recognized as a mistake.
It means the king would take the people's menservants and maidservants, their best and finest young men, and their donkeys, asses, cattle, livestock and property, and put them to his own work and service. He would seize the most valuable servants and livestock for himself, taking what belonged to the people and putting it to royal use. The finest young men would be compelled to serve the king in military and other work.
This taking was exaction and oppression, a heavy burden of tribute altogether unlike the Lord's rule. It meant the loss of their freedom and possessions. By forced service and by added taxation to support the luxury and demands of the royal household, the king would so burden the people that they would cry out to God.
Rejecting God's Direct Rule
Israel's government was essentially different from all other nations, with statutes and laws given by God and rulers chosen by Him whom the people were to obey in the Lord, inquiring of God in all cases of difficulty and great perplexity, instead of a despotic monarch. By demanding a human, temporal king modeled on nations that did not acknowledge God, and wanting God's authority visibly embodied in a man, Israel rejected God as its Supreme Ruler, special Leader, and the divine power that had guided and delivered them, and placed authority in human power. The demand was a rebellious departure showing a great want of faith and confidence in God's providence to raise up rulers and in God's sufficiency, preferring a king to the wise and mild government of God Himself by His prophets.
Choosing a king to be like other nations meant rejecting God's direct rule and jurisdiction in favor of human judgment and worldly policy in order to be recognized by the world. It meant discarding God's appointed leadership before He had released him and choosing to be ruled as the people's voice decides. The Lord had plainly told Israel beforehand that having a king was not the right way and the best way, to save them from future distress and keep them under His own merciful guidance instead of the changeable judgment and strong will of men.
Israel still refused the warning, bent on following their own mind and judgment and casting aside the wisdom of God, choosing what they imagined would bring most glory to themselves as a nation like all the nations, and the Lord permitted them to have their own way and granted the desire of their unsanctified hearts. A king would receive honor due to God alone, and no one could occupy the position and receive the honors usually given to a king without becoming exalted, with his ways seeming right in his own eyes while sinning against God. If his heart was lifted up and not right with God he would lead the people away from God and cause them to rebel, so that at the word of a king innocent persons would suffer while the most unworthy were exalted, unless he continually trusted in God and received wisdom from Him.
Consequences and Present Warning
Choosing visible human rule over the divine power that had guided and delivered Israel showed a failure to trust God's sufficiency, and that choice ultimately led to Jerusalem's destruction and the nation's dispersion. Israel later recognized its mistake in asking for a king like the surrounding nations, as the ruler's example was helping society turn toward irreligion and godlessness.
That course of seeking to be like other nations in order to be recognized by the world separates God's work from God's management and control, and it reacts back upon those who plan it. Those without experience of God's power and workings in establishing His work are in danger of repeating it through spiritual blindness.
The folly of Israel in Samuel's day in desiring a king for worldly plans and worldly policy instead of trusting the Lord God of Israel as Ruler illustrates the danger of relying on human authority and judgment. That same folly will be repeated among the people of God today unless there is greater humility, less confidence in self and in men and in human judgment, and more trust in God.
Blessing and safety are in being led and controlled by the Lord in all ways. The work will abide the test only as divine power is combined with human effort. Those who make God their trust will talk less and pray much more, will show meekness of spirit and caution in plans and movements, will reveal dependence on God, and will have the mind of Christ.