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Caveat Emptor: Monarchies may be harmful to your freedom.

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iamnotaparakeet
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06 Apr 2009, 1:03 pm

Interesting passage from that book which some would call an "opium of the masses":

1st Samuel 8:10-18 wrote:
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."


Context of chapter 8



Sand
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06 Apr 2009, 2:07 pm

iamnotaparakeet wrote:
Interesting passage from that book which some would call an "opium of the masses":

1st Samuel 8:10-18 wrote:
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."


Context of chapter 8


I imagine, in the days before refrigerators, combining cooks and perfumers is a very practical double profession. I doubt chariots are very useful these days. Now, flying an F22 - that might prove interesting. Donkeys are also somewhat old fashioned except in Congress.



zerooftheday
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06 Apr 2009, 2:22 pm

The Israelites were bitching about how they wanted a king, since all the cool countries had a king. God wasn't diggin' this idea, since kings were all about not listening to God when everything hit the fan. So God sends Samuel to try to dissuade the Israelites.

The first king of Israel, Saul, was a total jerk, exactly what God was warning them about.