1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 8:1

HE made] With Gods pmissio, and consent.

1 Samuel 8:2

Beer-Sheba] It sheweth that Samuel reserved to himselfe the government of Rama, being towards the North, and for his own ease he assigned his children for the compasse of their Jurisdiction, from Beer-sheba, which was the Southern border, to Ram, for otherwise Beer-sheba beeing on the outside of the countrey had been an unfitting place for the generall seat of justice.

1 Samuel 8:4

The Elders] The heads, and magistrates of all the commonalties.

1 Samuel 8:5

Like all the nations] This is the error in the request; condemned, 1 Samuel 12:17. namely that they will have an absolute, constant, powerfull, and pompous King; in contempt of the sweet and fatherly government of Judges, in whose person God reigned, in regard of the immediate Vocation and gifts of his Spirit, and the cooperation of his grace and power, ver. 7. through a distrust in God, and an ambition to have their nation enjoy the glory of being a Monarchy, with all the honors, dignities & offices belonging to it.

1 Samuel 8:6

Displeased] Not, but that he knew that God had promised his people Kings, Gen. 17. 6. and 49. 10. and that he had given them way to make them Kings, upon certain conditions, Deuteronomy 17:14. but because he saw the evill motions of their hearts, and their rashnesse in going on before they knew the will of God. See 1 Kings 1:1-53. 31. and 12 20 Prayed] that he might know his will.

1 Samuel 8:7

Hearken unto] Though there be an errour in their request, yet I will grant it them, and if in this their desire, they discover any ingratitude towards thee, the same redounds to me, who in thee, and by thee, have raigned over them in manner most befitting my goodnes, the only end wherof was their safety, whereas ordinarily earthly Kings do raigne by force, aiming at their own profit and pleasure, little regarding the good of their subjects, but only so farr as it concerneth their own good too.

1 Samuel 8:9

The manner] Namely, that which is now grown to a common custome, by the consent of nations and Gods toleration, who prescribeth the subjects the law of patience and obedience, and is now as it were a right in absolute Kingdomes, which as the people desired theirs should be; which power encreaseth dayly, more and more, being such a prince is no way subject to punishment, for otherwise Gods expresse command doth moderate him in another way, D. ut. 17. 16, 20.

1 Samuel 8:11

Appoint them] To be souldiers.

1 Samuel 8:15

Officers] Or courtiers, the Heb. is Eunuches; See Genesis 37:36.

1 Samuel 8:20

Go out] To the wars, as our Generall.

1 Samuel 8:22

Goye] And expect untill the Lord declare his will, concerning the manner he will have used in this new creation of a King.