1 Samuel 8:16 Meaning and Explanation
“And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The king will conscript their servants, their finest young men, and their livestock for his own labor.
What Does 1 Samuel 8:16 Mean?
The list of what the king will take grows wider still: household servants, the strongest and most capable young men, and even the people's donkeys, the work animals essential to daily life. All would be pressed into the king's labor, stripping families of both their helpers and their means of work.
The cumulative weight of these verses is the point. Item by item, the king lays claim to everything that sustains a household. What the people imagined as protection would become a steady draining of their strength. The passage urges honest reckoning before we entrust our lives to any power, and it deepens our gratitude for the Lord, who does not exploit His servants but calls them friends.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 8:16
What does 1 Samuel 8:16 mean?
The king will conscript their servants, their finest young men, and their livestock for his own labor.