Heavy Yoke

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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In answer to the people's demand for a king, Samuel gave them the Lord's message, which set forth in vivid terms what man in power is. There is monotony in the six-times-repeated words, “he will take.” Their sons would be required for the army, their daughters must become his cooks, the produce of their fields and of their flocks would be demanded for the king's support, and so on. It could scarcely be otherwise. How else could the dignity and majesty of the kingdom be maintained? In the highest days of Israel's prosperity this became intolerable. Accordingly we hear them saying to the son of Solomon, “thy father made our yoke grievous” (1 Kings 12:44Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. (1 Kings 12:4)). The greater the glory of the kingdom, the greater the burden upon the people must be.