1 Samuel 8:11

⁹ Now listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”

¹⁰ So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.

He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.

¹² He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his weapons of war, and to equip his chariots.

¹³ And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.
KJV: 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.
WEB: He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots.
ASV: And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
DARBY: 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, on his chariot and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;
BLB: And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you⁺: Your⁺ sons he will take and appoint to his own chariots and horses, and [some] will run before the face of his chariots.

ÅB: Han sa: Slik vil han bære seg at den konge som kommer til å råde over dere: Deres sønner vil han ta og sette dem til å stelle med sin vogn og sine hester, og de skal løpe foran hans vogn,
OTB: Han sa: "Dette er hva kongen som hersker over dere vil gjøre: Han vil ta deres sønner og sette dem til sine vogner og hester, og de vil løpe foran hans vogner.
B1930: Han sa: Således vil han bære sig at den konge som kommer til å råde over eder: Eders sønner vil han ta og sette dem til å stelle med sin vogn og sine hester, og de skal løpe foran hans vogn,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Samuel 14:52
And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.
Read in context
1 Samuel 10:25
Then Samuel explained to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own home.
Read in context
2 Samuel 15:1
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
Read in context
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,”
Read in context
1 Kings 10:26
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
Read in context
1 Kings 1:5
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.
Read in context
1 Kings 12:10
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
Read in context
1 Kings 12:4
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
Read in context