Israel Rejects God as Their King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Key verse 7 

And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”

Read verses 1-5. Who did Samuel appoint as judges for Israel when he grew old? (1, 2) What did they do? (3) What did all the elders of Israel ask Samuel? (4,5) What reasons did they give Samuel when they asked for a king? (5)

Read verses 6-9. How did Samuel feel about elders’ request for a king, and what did he do? (6) What did God tell him? (7) What things had the Israelites been doing since God brought them up out of Egypt? (8) What did God instruct Samuel to do? (9) 

Read verses 10-18. What did Samuel tell to the people that the king would do for them regarding:  a) Their sons and daughters? (11-13)  b) Fields and crops? (14,15)  c) Servants and flocks? (16,17a)   d) Themselves? (17b)  What was God’s final warning? (18) 

Read verses 19-22. What was their response? (19) What was the reason they gave for wanting to have a king? (20) What did Samuel do? (21) What was the Lord’s answer? (22)