1 Samuel 8:9
New International Version
Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

New Living Translation
Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

English Standard Version
Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

Berean Standard Bible
Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

King James Bible
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

New King James Version
Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

New American Standard Bible
Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them.”

NASB 1995
“Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”

NASB 1977
“Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So now, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly testify to them and tell them of the custom of the king who will reign over them.”

Amplified Bible
So now listen to their voice; only solemnly warn them and tell them the ways of the king who will reign over them.”

Christian Standard Bible
Listen to them, but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them.”

American Standard Version
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

Contemporary English Version
Do everything they ask, but warn them and tell them how a king will treat them.

English Revised Version
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Listen to them now, but be sure to warn them and tell them about the rights of a king."

Good News Translation
So then, listen to them, but give them strict warnings and explain how their kings will treat them."

International Standard Version
Now, listen to them, but you are to clearly warn them and inform them about how the king who rules over them will operate."

Majority Standard Bible
Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

NET Bible
So now do as they say. But seriously warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them."

New Heart English Bible
Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them."

Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore hearken to their voice: yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king that will reign over them.

World English Bible
Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And now, listen to their voice; only, surely you certainly protest to them, and have declared to them the custom of the king who reigns over them.”

Young's Literal Translation
And now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And now hear to their voice: but protesting, thou shalt protest to them, and announce to them the judgment of the king who shall reign over them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now therefore hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”

New American Bible
Now listen to them; but at the same time, give them a solemn warning and inform them of the rights of the king who will rule them.

New Revised Standard Version
Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now therefore hearken to their voice; but testify solemnly to them, and show them the law of the king who shall reign over them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And now listen to their voice, however, certainly testify to them and show them the law of the King who will reign over them”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now therefore hearken unto their voice; howbeit thou shalt earnestly forewarn them, and shalt declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now hearken to their voice; only thou shalt solemnly testify to them, and thou shalt describe to them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel Demands a King
8Just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

Cross References
Deuteronomy 17:14-20
When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” / you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers. / But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ ...

Hosea 13:10-11
Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? / So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away.

Judges 8:23
But Gideon replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD shall rule over you.”

1 Samuel 10:19
But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”

1 Samuel 12:12-17
But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. / Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you. / If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well. ...

1 Kings 8:7-9
For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. / The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day. / There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.

2 Kings 17:13-15
Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. / They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.

Isaiah 3:4-5
“I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.” / The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.

Jeremiah 7:23-24
but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you. / Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

Ezekiel 20:18-19
In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols. / I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.

Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. / It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, / and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave— ...

Mark 10:42-45
So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. / But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, / and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. ...

Luke 22:25-27
So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors. / But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. / For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

John 19:15
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.

Acts 13:21-22
Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. / After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’


Treasury of Scripture

Now therefore listen to their voice: however, yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

hearken unto.

Ezekiel 3:18
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

the manner

1 Samuel 8:11-18
And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots…

1 Samuel 2:13
And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

1 Samuel 10:25
Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

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1 Samuel 8
1. By occasion of the ill government of Samuel's sons, the Israelites ask a king
6. Samuel praying in grief is comforted by God
10. He tells the manner of a king
19. God wills Samuel to yield unto the importunity of the people














Now listen to their voice
The Hebrew word for "listen" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which implies not just hearing but understanding and considering. In this context, God instructs Samuel to heed the Israelites' request for a king. This phrase underscores the importance of listening to the desires and concerns of the people, even when they diverge from divine ideals. It reflects God's patience and willingness to engage with human agency, allowing His people to exercise free will, even when it leads to less than ideal outcomes.

but you must solemnly warn them
The term "solemnly warn" comes from the Hebrew "עֵד" (ed), meaning to testify or admonish. This phrase indicates a serious, prophetic duty to inform the Israelites of the consequences of their request. Samuel is tasked with making clear the gravity of their decision. This warning is not merely a formality but a divine mandate to ensure the people understand the implications of their choice. It highlights God's justice and mercy, as He provides His people with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions.

and show them the manner of the king
The word "manner" is translated from the Hebrew "מִשְׁפָּט" (mishpat), which can mean judgment, justice, or ordinance. Here, it refers to the customs and practices of a monarchy. Samuel is to reveal the nature of human kingship, which contrasts with God's kingship. This phrase serves as a cautionary revelation, illustrating the potential burdens and demands a king would impose on the people. It reflects the biblical theme of God's desire for His people to live under His direct rule, rather than under human authority, which often leads to oppression and injustice.

who will reign over them
The Hebrew root for "reign" is "מָלַךְ" (malak), meaning to rule or have dominion. This phrase emphasizes the shift from divine to human leadership. The Israelites' request for a king signifies a rejection of God's direct rule, opting instead for a human leader like the surrounding nations. This decision marks a pivotal moment in Israel's history, as it transitions from a theocracy to a monarchy. The phrase serves as a reminder of the inherent risks in choosing human authority over divine guidance, a theme that resonates throughout the biblical narrative.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now
וְעַתָּ֖ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

listen to them,
שְׁמַ֣ע (šə·ma‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

but
אַ֗ךְ (’aḵ)
Adverb
Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely

you must solemnly warn
הָעֵ֤ד (hā·‘êḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 5749: To duplicate, repeat, to protest, testify, to encompass, restore

them
בָּהֶ֔ם (bā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

and show
וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ (wə·hig·gaḏ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

them
לָהֶ֔ם (lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

the manner
מִשְׁפַּ֣ט (miš·paṭ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

of the king
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

will reign
יִמְלֹ֖ךְ (yim·lōḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

over them.”
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT History: 1 Samuel 8:9 Now therefore listen to their voice: however (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
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