1 Samuel 8:7 Meaning and Explanation
“And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God tells Samuel to grant the request, revealing that in rejecting His reign the people have rejected not Samuel but the Lord Himself.
What Does 1 Samuel 8:7 Mean?
The Lord answers Samuel's prayer with tender consolation and a piercing truth. He tells Samuel to listen to the people, then lifts the wound from the prophet's shoulders: the rejection is not of Samuel but of God. By demanding a king like the nations, Israel was casting off the Lord as their reigning King.
How comforting that God takes upon Himself the sting Samuel felt. Yet how solemn the diagnosis: to push aside God's rule in favor of something more visible is, at its root, to reject Him. The same temptation lives in every heart that prefers a ruler it can see to the unseen Lord. The remedy is to gladly receive the reign of God, and to long for the day when His chosen King would reign in righteousness forever.
1 Samuel 8:7 in the Original Language
maas (מָאַס), 'rejected' -- to spurn or cast away as worthless.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 8:7
What does 1 Samuel 8:7 mean?
God tells Samuel to grant the request, revealing that in rejecting His reign the people have rejected not Samuel but the Lord Himself.