How we cite our quotes:
Quote #4
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations." But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." Samuel prayed to the LORD, and the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. (1 Samuel 8:1-7, KJV)
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations." But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." Samuel prayed to the LORD, and the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. (1 Samuel 8:1-7, NRSV)
Perhaps the hardest part of being a leader is naming a suitable successor. But just because the word "success" is part of the word "successor," that doesn't mean that the person who follows you will be a good leader. Samuel is a great leader, but his sons are not. They take bribes. Justice is on sale to the highest bidder. You would think that Samuel would have learned a lesson from Eli. His sons were scoundrels, too. It sure doesn't look like Samuel was paying attention to all of the bad things the sons of Eli did. Now that Samuel is old, the people want a new leader, but they're upping the ante. They've decided that they want a king. The Israelites make the assumption that having a king will be better for them. Well, they haven't met Saul yet.
Quote #5
And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 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. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. {officers: Heb. eunuchs} And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 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. (1 Samuel 8:10-18, KJV)
So Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day." (1 Samuel 8:10-18, NRSV)
When the people ask for a king, they really don't know what they're getting themselves into. They believe that a king will protect them from their enemies, but Samuel tries to warn them that a king has a lot more responsibilities than fighting everyone's battles for them. On top of that, a king is going to require money and land. Like those of most wise men, the words of Samuel fall on deaf ears.
Quote #6
And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. {with...: Heb. as one man} And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. (1 Samuel 11:7-8, KJV)
He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!" Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one. When he mustered them at Bezek, those from Israel were three hundred thousand, and those from Judah seventy thousand. (1 Samuel 11:7-8, NRSV)
So how do you go about gathering troops to fight an enemy? Some countries require military service of all of their citizens. In times of war, some countries choose to draft soldiers. Those soldiers are forced to fight—whether they want to or not. Saul has an interesting tactic for bringing troops together: he threatens people. Okay so maybe this is more mean and evil than interesting. Hey Saul, you need to work on your people skills.