King James Version
What Does 1 Samuel 8:20 Mean?
“That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”
Context
18
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22
And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(20) **Like all the nations.**—There is something strangely painful in these terms with which the elders urged their request—the wish “to be like other nations” seems to have been very strong with them. They forgot, or chose to ignore, the solitary position of lofty pre-eminence God had given them among the nations. They had, it is true, failed to comprehend it in past, as in present days, but this haste to give up their lofty privileges, and to descend from the pedestal on which their God had set them, was in the eye of one like Samuel a strange inexplicable foolishness.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
1 Samuel 8:20 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to 1 Samuel 8:20
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge