SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:15
El diezmará vuestras simientes y vuestras viñas, para dar a sus eunucos y a sus siervos.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. And he will take the tenth of your seed , etc.] When grown up and ripe, as their wheat and barley: and of your vineyards ; the tenth of the grapes they should produce: and give to his officers, and to his servants ; for the support and maintenance of them; and to pay this, besides the tithes of the priests and Levites, would make it very burdensome to them; and this was no other than what kings of other nations usually had, the like to whom they were desirous of having, and therefore must expect that they would insist upon the privileges and revenues that others had. In Babylon, as Aristotle f160 relates, there was an ancient law which required the tenth of whatever was imported for the public revenue, which was revived in the times of Alexander by Antimenes the Rhodian. In Arabia Felix was an island abounding with frankincense and myrrh, and various spices, the tenth of the fruits of which the king always had, as Diodorus Siculus reports, as in the Apocrypha: “And as for other things that belong unto us, of the tithes and customs pertaining unto us, as also the saltpits, and the crown taxes, which are due unto us, we discharge them of them all for their relief.” (1 Maccabees 11:35) Ver. 16 . And he will take your manservants, and your maidservants , etc.] Into his own family, for his own use and service, if he wants them, or likes them better than what he has: and your goodliest young men : that are tall and lusty, comely and beautiful, of a proper stature and good aspect; and such in all countries used to be chosen for officers in courts, or attendants there; and so the Turks to this day pitch upon young men to attend on great personages, who are of a comely form, have admirable features, and are well shaped, (see Gill on “ Daniel 1:4”), and your asses, and put them to his work ; employ them in ploughing his fields, drawing his carriages, or bearing his burdens; and so any other cattle that would serve the same purposes, as oxen, camels, etc.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-22 - If they would have a king to rule them, as the eastern kings rule their subjects, they would find the yoke exceedingly heavy. Those tha 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 latte should be the measure of our expectations from others. These would by their grievances, and, when they complained to God, he would not hea them. When we bring ourselves into distress by our own wrong desire and projects, we justly forfeit the comfort of prayer, and the benefi of Divine aid. The people were obstinate and urgent in their demand Sudden resolves and hasty desires make work for long and leisurel repentance. Our wisdom is, to be thankful for the advantages, an 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 an honesty. And it is a hopeful symptom when our desires of worldl objects can brook delay; and when we can refer the time and manner of their being granted to God's providence __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
וזרעיכם 2233 וכרמיכם 3754 יעשׂר 6237 ונתן 5414 לסריסיו 5631 ולעבדיו׃ 5650
