16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men
16 Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use.
16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
16 He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 8:16
Commentary on 1 Samuel 8:10-22
(Read 1 Samuel 8:10-22)
If they would have a king to rule them, as the eastern kings ruled their subjects, they would find the yoke exceedingly heavy. Those that submit to the government of the world and the flesh, are told plainly, what hard masters they are, and what tyranny the dominion of sin is. The law of God and the manner of men widely differ from each other; the former should be our rule in the several relations of life; the latter should be the measure of our expectations from others. These would be their grievances, and, when they complained to God, he would not hear them. When we bring ourselves into distress by our own wrong desires and projects, we justly forfeit the comfort of prayer, and the benefit of Divine aid. The people were obstinate and urgent in their demand. Sudden resolves and hasty desires make work for long and leisurely repentance. Our wisdom is, to be thankful for the advantages, and patient under the disadvantages of the government we may live under; and to pray continually for our rulers, that they may govern us in the fear of God, and that we may live under them in all godliness and honesty. And it is a hopeful symptom when our desires of worldly objects can brook delay; and when we can refer the time and manner of their being granted to God's providence.