The Meaning of 1 Samuel 8:12 Explained

1 Samuel 8:12

KJV: And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

YLT: also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer.

Darby: and he will take them that he may appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and that they may plough his ground, and reap his harvest, and make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots.

ASV: and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he will appoint  him captains  over thousands,  and captains  over fifties;  and [will set them] to ear  his ground,  and to reap  his harvest,  and to make  his instruments  of war,  and instruments  of his chariots. 

What does 1 Samuel 8:12 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 8:12 mean?

And He will appoint to him captains over [his] thousands and captains over [his] fifty and [will set some] to plow his ground and reap his harvest and [some] to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots
וְלָשׂ֣וּם ל֔וֹ שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֣י חֲמִשִּׁ֑ים וְלַחֲרֹ֤שׁ חֲרִישׁוֹ֙ וְלִקְצֹ֣ר קְצִיר֔וֹ וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כְּלֵֽי־ מִלְחַמְתּ֖וֹ וּכְלֵ֥י רִכְבּֽוֹ

וְלָשׂ֣וּם  And  He  will  appoint 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
ל֔וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
שָׂרֵ֥י  captains  over 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
אֲלָפִ֖ים  [his]  thousands 
Parse: Number, masculine plural
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
וְשָׂרֵ֣י  and  captains  over 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
חֲמִשִּׁ֑ים  [his]  fifty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
וְלַחֲרֹ֤שׁ  and  [will  set  some]  to  plow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
חֲרִישׁוֹ֙  his  ground 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרִישׁ  
Sense: ploughing, ploughing time.
וְלִקְצֹ֣ר  and  reap 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָצוּר 
Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.
קְצִיר֔וֹ  his  harvest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָצִיר 
Sense: harvest, harvesting.
וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת  and  [some]  to  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כְּלֵֽי־  his  weapons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
מִלְחַמְתּ֖וֹ  of  war 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וּכְלֵ֥י  and  equipment  for 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
רִכְבּֽוֹ  his  chariots 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.