The Meaning of 1 Samuel 8:18 Explained

1 Samuel 8:18

KJV: And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

YLT: And ye have cried out in that day because of the king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah doth not answer you in that day.'

Darby: And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

ASV: And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ye shall cry out  in that day  because  of your king  which ye shall have chosen  you; and the LORD  will not hear  you in that day. 

What does 1 Samuel 8:18 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 8:18 mean?

And you will cry out in day that because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves and not will hear Yahweh you that
וּזְעַקְתֶּם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא מִלִּפְנֵ֣י מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם לָכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־ יַעֲנֶ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַהֽוּא

וּזְעַקְתֶּם֙  And  you  will  cry  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
בַּיּ֣וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מִלִּפְנֵ֣י  because 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם  of  your  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם  you  have  chosen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
לָכֶ֑ם  for  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲנֶ֧ה  will  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַהֽוּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.