And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

1 SAMUEL 8:16KJV
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1 Samuel 8:16 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 8:16 mean?

1 Samuel 8:16 warns that a king will take the people's male and female servants, their best young men, and their donkeys, and use them for his own work. This verse describes the personal and economic costs the Israelites will face if they choose to have a human king rule over them.

In this scene, the prophet Samuel is speaking to the Israelites, who have asked for a king to rule them like other nations. Samuel is explaining what having a king will really mean: the king will claim not just land and crops, but also people and animals for his own purposes. This is part of Samuel’s larger warning that a king will demand much from the people, changing their daily lives and freedoms.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 8:16

  • "Menservants" (עֶבֶד, ʿeved) and "maidservants" (שִׁפְחָה, shifchah) both refer to household servants or slaves. The use of both terms shows that the king’s demands will reach into every household, affecting both men and women who serve.
  • "Goodliest" (טוֹב, tov) "young men" (בָּחוּר, bachur) points to the very best or most desirable young people. The king will not just take anyone, but will select the strongest or most capable for his own work.
  • "Asses" (חֲמוֹר, chamor) were valuable work animals. Taking them means the king will disrupt families’ ability to farm and transport goods, not just their labor force.
  • "Put them to his work" (עָשָׂה, asah; מְלָאכָה, melakhah) means the king will assign these people and animals to serve his interests, not their own households.

Why 1 Samuel 8:16 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that having a king would only bring benefits; it emphasizes that there will be real costs and losses for ordinary people.
  • The warning connects to the wider passage, where Samuel lists the ways a king will take from the people, showing that the desire to be like other nations comes with significant trade-offs.
  • It highlights the shift from self-governance under God’s direct rule to a system where human authority can demand personal and economic sacrifices.