Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 8:10-18 (New International Version)

¹⁰ Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.¹¹ He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. ¹² Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. ¹⁵ He will take a tenthof your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

The three words that are the title of this post are prophetic. In the above passage, the people of Israel want a king to lead them like all the other nations. The LORD tells Samuel, “well, okay, they can have a king, but let me tell you three words that characterize human kings,

he will take”

Notice the things that the king will take from the people:

• your sons
• the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves
• a tenth of your seed and your vineyards
• your male and female servants
• your best young men
• your donkeys
• a tenth of your flocks

That is a lot of taking. Guess what? The LORD’s prophecy came true. The LORD’s prophecy came true for thousands of years of worldly kings throughout the world. It seems that it is still true today in the age of democracy.