1 Samuel 8:13
And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
Original Language Analysis
וְאֶת
H853
וְאֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
1 of 6
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
בְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם
your daughters
H1323
בְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם
your daughters
Strong's:
H1323
Word #:
2 of 6
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
יִקָּ֑ח
And he will take
H3947
יִקָּ֑ח
And he will take
Strong's:
H3947
Word #:
3 of 6
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
Historical Context
Royal households throughout the ancient Near East employed large domestic staffs. Egyptian tomb paintings and Mesopotamian administrative texts document the various specialized roles within palace economies. The perfumer role was particularly significant given the importance of aromatic substances in religious rituals and elite culture.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this passage speak to the importance of family integrity against state encroachment?
- In what ways might modern believers be tempted to sacrifice family relationships for institutional advancement?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
Having addressed sons, Samuel now turns to daughters, extending the warning to encompass entire families. The three terms—"raqqachot" (perfumers/confectionaries), "tabbachot" (cooks), and "ophot" (bakers)—describe skilled domestic positions in the royal household. While these roles might seem honorable compared to military conscription, the fundamental issue remains: daughters will serve the king's household rather than their own families. In ancient Israel, daughters remained under paternal authority until marriage, at which point they came under their husband's care within their own household. Royal service disrupted this family structure, removing young women from the marriage pool and the domestic economy of their clans. The brevity of this verse—compared to the extensive description of sons' conscription—may reflect either the limited roles available to women in palace service or the text's assumption that losing daughters was self-evidently grievous. Either way, monarchy will reach into every Israelite home.