The Meaning of 1 Samuel 8:11 Explained

1 Samuel 8:11

KJV: And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

YLT: and saith, 'This is the custom of the king who doth reign over you: Your sons he doth take, and hath appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots;

Darby: And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, on his chariot and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;

ASV: And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  This will be the manner  of the king  that shall reign  over you: He will take  your sons,  and appoint  [them] for himself, for his chariots,  and [to be] his horsemen;  and [some] shall run  before  his chariots. 

What does 1 Samuel 8:11 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 8:10-22 - Rejecting The Prophet's Warning
The people had entreated Samuel to cry unto God in their behalf; and now we see him going to and fro between the people and God, as a true mediator and intercessor. "He told all the words of the Lord unto the people," 1 Samuel 8:10; and, "He rehearsed all the words of the people in the ears of the Lord," 1 Samuel 8:21. See also 1 Samuel 8:22. Samuel is fitly described in the Psalter as one who called upon God's name, Psalms 99:6. How much we may influence the life of a nation or of an individual if we will only pray with persistent and believing earnestness! We cannot dispense with our statesmen, but our prophets-the Samuels and the Elijahs-are the most efficient chariots and horsemen of protection, 2 Kings 2:12.
The people could not answer Samuel's grave and graphic words. They contented themselves with repeating their request, and soon they learned the bitterness of imposing their own will upon God. They would have a king, and God gave them their hearts' desire, but see Psalms 106:15. When Samuel had received God's reply, he set himself, with all his power, to further the matter, at all cost to himself. We are reminded of that noble reply of the Baptist in John 3:31. God's will ever first and supreme! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 8

1  By occasion of the ill government of Samuel's sons, the Israelites ask a king
6  Samuel praying in grief is comforted by God
10  He tells the manner of a king
19  God wills Samuel to yield unto the importunity of the people

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 8:11 mean?

And he said this will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you - your sons He will take and appoint [them] to his own chariots and [to be] his horsemen and [some] will run before his chariots
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר זֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְלֹ֖ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם אֶת־ בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם יִקָּ֗ח וְשָׂ֥ם לוֹ֙ בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּ֣וֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יו וְרָצ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י מֶרְכַּבְתּֽוֹ

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  And  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
זֶ֗ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
יִֽהְיֶה֙  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִשְׁפַּ֣ט  the  behavior 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִמְלֹ֖ךְ  will  reign 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם  your  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִקָּ֗ח  He  will  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וְשָׂ֥ם  and  appoint  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּ֣וֹ  his  own  chariots 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.
וּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יו  and  [to  be]  his  horsemen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרָשׁ 
Sense: horse, steed, warhorse.
וְרָצ֖וּ  and  [some]  will  run 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: רוּץ 
Sense: to run.
לִפְנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מֶרְכַּבְתּֽוֹ  his  chariots 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.