1 Samuel 10:25 kjv
Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
1 Samuel 10:25 nkjv
Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
1 Samuel 10:25 niv
Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the LORD. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.
1 Samuel 10:25 esv
Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.
1 Samuel 10:25 nlt
Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the LORD. Then Samuel sent the people home again.
1 Samuel 10 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 17:18 | "And when he sits on the throne... he shall write for himself... a copy of this law." | King must write and follow God's law. |
| Deut 17:19 | "...that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law..." | King's accountability to divine commands. |
| Deut 31:24 | "When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end," | Recording God's law for preservation. |
| Deut 31:26 | "Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant..." | Placing sacred texts before the Lord for custody. |
| Ex 24:4 | "And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD..." | Formalizing God's decrees in writing. |
| Ex 24:7 | "...He took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people..." | Covenant communicated and ratified. |
| Josh 24:25 | "So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and laid out statutes and rules..." | Establishing governmental order. |
| Josh 24:26 | "And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God..." | Written record of covenant/statutes. |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | "They have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them." | Context of Israel's desire for a human king. |
| 1 Sam 8:11 | "He said, 'These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you...' " | Samuel warns of abuses of kingship. |
| Psa 2:10 | "Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth." | Kings called to submit to God's authority. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD..." | God's sovereignty over rulers. |
| Jer 30:2 | "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words..." | Divine command to record prophetic messages. |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting..." | Importance of written divine instruction. |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God..." | God institutes human authorities. |
| 1 Pet 2:13 | "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution..." | Submission to righteous authority. |
| Isa 9:6 | "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder..." | Prophecy of Christ's perfect kingship. |
| Luke 1:32 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David." | Fulfillment of eternal Davidic kingship in Christ. |
| Rev 19:16 | "On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." | Christ as the supreme, sovereign King. |
| 1 Kings 2:3 | "[Keep] the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways..." | A king's responsibility to obey God. |
| 2 Chr 34:14 | "...Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given through Moses." | The significance of finding/retaining the written law. |
| Neh 9:38 | "Because of all this we make a firm covenant and write it..." | Practice of covenant making and writing. |
1 Samuel 10 verses
1 Samuel 10 25 Meaning
1 Samuel 10:25 describes the critical moment where the prophet Samuel formally established the foundation for the Israelite monarchy. He communicated and documented the divine principles and limitations of kingship to the gathered people. This written document, symbolizing a sacred constitution, was then solemnly placed before the Lord, signifying its divine origin and enduring authority. After this pivotal act, Samuel dismissed the assembly, marking the conclusion of the kingdom's formal inauguration.
1 Samuel 10 25 Context
This verse is set during Israel's momentous transition from a period governed by judges and prophets to a monarchy. Immediately prior, Saul has been privately anointed king by Samuel (1 Sam 10:1-8) and then publicly identified by lot at Mizpah (1 Sam 10:17-24), where the people have shouted, "Long live the king!" (1 Sam 10:24).
In response to the people's demand for a king "like all the nations" (1 Sam 8:5), Samuel had already warned them of the oppressive "ways" or rights a king might exercise (1 Sam 8:11-18). However, this verse reveals a divine corrective to their desire: while God grants them a king, that kingship is not to be absolute but limited and governed by God's own laws. Samuel, acting as God's mediator, formalizes these stipulations. The act takes place after the king's initial acclamation but before Saul fully consolidates his rule.
Historically, this event is pivotal. It acknowledges a new political structure while simultaneously grounding it firmly within Israel's existing covenant with Yahweh, aiming to prevent Israel's kings from becoming despotic rulers like those in surrounding empires.
1 Samuel 10 25 Word analysis
- Then Samuel: Samuel (שְׁמוּאֵל - Shemu'el), the last judge and a prominent prophet, serves as the intermediary between God, the people, and the newly established monarchy. His authority derives directly from God.
- told the people: Implies an oral declaration or teaching to the assembly at Mizpah, ensuring public understanding and agreement of the principles.
- the manner of the kingdom: (מִשְׁפַּט הַמְּלוּכָה - mishpat hammelukah). The term mishpat means "judgment," "ordinance," "rule," or "right." It is not merely the "custom" or "privileges" of the king, but fundamentally refers to the divine stipulations, boundaries, and duties that govern the king and the exercise of royal authority in Israel. This would encompass requirements for a king (e.g., being an Israelite, not accumulating excessive wealth or wives) and prohibitions against practices common in other pagan kingships, directly applying and elaborating on the "Law of the King" found in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. It effectively established a constitution for the monarchy, rooted in God's covenant.
- and wrote it in a book: (וַיִּכְתֹּב בַּסֵּפֶר - vayyikhtov bas-sepher). The act of writing makes these principles permanent, authoritative, and accessible for future generations. A "book" (sepher) here likely refers to a scroll. This practice mirrors the writing down of God's Law by Moses (Ex 24:4, Deut 31:24) and Joshua (Josh 24:26), reinforcing the divine and unalterable nature of these royal regulations.
- and laid it up before the LORD: (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - liphne YHWH). This phrase signifies depositing the written document in a sacred place, most likely near the Ark of the Covenant within the Tabernacle or sanctuary. This act imbued the document with sacral authority, making it a perpetual testimony and reminder that the king's authority was ultimately derived from and subject to Yahweh. It put the constitution under divine guardianship, ensuring its preservation and preventing arbitrary alteration or disregard by human rulers. It implied an ongoing divine witness and oversight over the kingdom.
- And Samuel sent all the people away: This signals the completion of the formal process of establishing the monarchy's legal and spiritual foundation.
- every man to his house: A practical detail, indicating the dispersal of the assembly after the significant national event.
1 Samuel 10 25 Bonus section
- The term "manner of the kingdom" (mishpat hammelukah) can be interpreted both prescriptively (what the king should do/be) and descriptively (what the king will be like, referencing the earlier warnings in 1 Sam 8). Here, given Samuel is "telling" and "writing," it carries a strong prescriptive, constitutional weight.
- The practice of placing important documents "before the LORD" connects directly to the keeping of the Ark of the Covenant, the Law, and manna in the Tabernacle/Temple (Ex 16:34, Deut 10:5, 31:26). It made the document a divine testimony, meant to be preserved and consulted.
- This passage underscores the theological concept of kingship by covenant, in contrast to the absolute rule common in the Ancient Near East. Israel's king was a vice-regent, not a god-king.
- Though Samuel laid out these divine boundaries, Saul, Israel's first king, repeatedly transgressed them (e.g., 1 Sam 13:8-14, 15:10-23), illustrating the tragic consequences of ignoring God's prescribed manner of leadership.
1 Samuel 10 25 Commentary
1 Samuel 10:25 marks the critical theological framing of monarchy in Israel. Rather than simply acquiescing to the people's desire for a king "like all the nations," God, through Samuel, established a uniquely Israelite kingship. The "manner of the kingdom" was a divinely sanctioned blueprint, ensuring that while Israel would have a king, that king would remain subservient to the ultimate King, Yahweh. By documenting these rules and placing the book "before the LORD," Samuel rendered them covenantal, sacrosanct, and unchallengeable by human decree. This act established a crucial safeguard against royal tyranny and despotism, affirming that even the highest earthly authority was bound by divine law and accountable to God. Despite this divine constitutional safeguard, the subsequent history of Israel's kings often shows their failure to adhere to these foundational principles, leading to spiritual decline and eventual judgment.