1 Samuel 8:13 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 8:13 mean?

1 Samuel 8:13 describes part of Samuel’s warning about what a king would demand from the people. Their daughters would be taken to work in roles that served the king’s household, rather than being left entirely free to serve their own families.

Samuel is speaking to the Israelites, who have asked for a king. After describing what the king would require of their sons, Samuel turns to their daughters. The list pictures women preparing fragrant mixtures and food for royal use.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 8:13

• “confectionaries” — רַקָּחוֹת (raqqachot): The word refers to women who prepare fragrant mixtures, such as perfumes or spices. In the KJV, “confectionaries” could suggest sweet-making to a modern reader, but the Hebrew points more broadly to skilled preparation of fragrant substances.

Why 1 Samuel 8:13 matters

• The warning reaches beyond military service. Alongside the sons’ duties described in verses 11–12, “your daughters” shows that the king’s demands would affect women as well.
• The king’s needs include more than fighting and farming. “Cooks” and “bakers” show the everyday household work needed to support a royal establishment.
• The word “take” belongs to a repeated pattern in Samuel’s warning. He also says the king will take fields and flocks, showing how royal rule could draw on a family’s people and resources.