But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
Parallel translations
- WEB His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
- KJV And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
- NKJV But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
- NASB His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice.
- NLT But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Samuel's sons reject his ways, pursuing dishonest gain, taking bribes, and perverting justice.
Overview
Their corruption violates the clear demands of God's law against bribery and injustice (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19). This recalls the earlier failure of Eli's sons and shows that godly leadership is not automatically inherited. Their sin gives the elders a genuine grievance, even as it does not justify rejecting God's rule.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Deut 16:19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
- Ps 15:5who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
- 1 Tim 6:10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
- Exod 23:8Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
- Exod 18:21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- 2 Sam 15:4And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”
- 1 Tim 3:3not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.
- Isa 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
- Eccl 2:19And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
- Jer 22:15–17Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.
- 1 Kgs 12:6–11Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
- Ps 26:10in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
- 2 Kgs 21:1–3Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 8:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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