And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

1 SAMUEL 8:15KJV
Know the Bible

1 Samuel 8:15 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 8:15 mean?

1 Samuel 8:15 warns that a king will take a tenth of the people's crops and vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. This verse describes one of the burdens the Israelites would face if they chose to have a human king rule over them.

The prophet Samuel is speaking to the Israelites, explaining what life under a king would be like. The people had asked for a king to be like other nations, and Samuel is making clear that this choice will come with costs, including taxes and the loss of some personal produce to support the king’s administration.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 8:15

  • "tenth" (עָשַׂר, ʿasar): This word means a tenth part, or a tithe. In this context, it is not a voluntary offering but a required tax imposed by the king, showing a shift from giving to God to giving to a human ruler.
  • "seed" (זֶרַע, zeraʿ): This refers to the grain or produce from the fields. The king would claim a portion of the basic food supply, which would have been a significant burden for farming families.
  • "vineyards" (כֶּרֶם, kerem): This word means vineyards, highlighting that not only grain but also wine and fruit would be taxed.
  • "officers" (סָרִיס, saris): This term often means officials or high-ranking servants. The king’s court would be supported by the resources taken from the people.
  • "servants" (עֶבֶד, ʿeved): This word means servants or workers, referring to those employed by the king who would benefit from the people’s produce.

Why 1 Samuel 8:15 matters

  • 1 Samuel 8:15 clarifies that the king’s demands would not be limited to military service or leadership but would also include economic burdens, affecting everyday life.
  • This verse helps explain why Samuel was warning the people: asking for a king would mean accepting a new kind of authority, one that could take from their livelihoods.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by showing that the desire to be like other nations would come at a real, personal cost, challenging the idea that a king would only bring benefits.

Where else these words appear

“tenth” Hebrew H6237 · used in 7 verses

  • Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
  • Deuteronomy 26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
  • Nehemiah 10:37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

“officers” Hebrew H5631 · used in 42 verses

  • Genesis 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
  • 2 Chronicles 18:8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
  • Isaiah 56:3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

“vineyards” Hebrew H3754 · used in 82 verses

  • Genesis 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
  • 1 Kings 21:2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
  • Isaiah 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.